


The Blood of the Rose

by WhiteCatInDisguise



Category: Cardcaptor Sakura
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-13
Updated: 2018-04-13
Packaged: 2019-04-22 08:30:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 26,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14304810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteCatInDisguise/pseuds/WhiteCatInDisguise
Summary: The deserted mansion, the lost boy, the lost memory and the mystery to uncover. Features SakuraxShaoran moments :)





	1. Prologue

Once upon a time in a faraway land…  
There was a wealthy and noble family who lived in the quiet house out in the woods.  
Their home was a peaceful heaven for the family and they lived happily for a few years. The mother and the father were loyal to their Country. The Kind and Queen were blessed by their people.  
They had three children, two girls and a boy.  
Their son loved the home his family lived in. It may not have been the castle or anything fancy. But he didn’t seem to care.  
He loved nature and wildlife. More than riches alone.  
The boy was the most gentle and caring out of the siblings. His mother praised him, with God's love.  
The mother cared for her son so much that she even gave him a small book. So he could draw the world around him.  
Her love for her family was so strong that she wanted them to be happy forever. Even if bad things happen ahead.  
Over the years their happiness lasted through laughter and smiles. Until one faithful day…  
The Queen died of illness. Her death tore her family apart.  
Without the Queen, the family fell into a crisis which sealed their fate.  
It wasn’t long before things have gotten worse for the family.  
Mobs and angry villagers attacked the family by surprise.  
The family was slaughtered out of rage and anger. The children’s blood soaked the floor.  
The family members were brutally murdered by their own people. The mobs wanted to leave no survivors.  
The deed was done. The family was eliminated.  
However, much to their surprise, a mystery unfolded.  
The mobs and villagers did not find the son’s body. They searched the house but… nobody could see the boy anywhere among dead.  
After the rumours spread, everyone went out to search for the missing boy. Days, months, years… even decades passed.  
And the boy was still gone.  
In the end, nobody could find the boy. Dead or alive…  
After the murders, some of the villagers moved on and forgot about the boy. No one ever recalled about that day.  
The house was left alone. And the boy was missing from the world.  
Until one person went out to discover the truth.


	2. The Lonely House

A small village close to the deep forest remained almost unchanged for the last 50 years. Old villagers left it a long time ago, some earlier, some later. But now only one person remained from the previous inhabitants, the old lady, who everyone in the village calls Gran. Only she remembers, what it was like five decades ago…  
A brown-haired girl with emerald eyes filled with joy skipped through the village’s gate. Her short hair was tied with two red ribbons, one on each side. She was wearing a sports suit and comfortable shoes. She ran towards one of the benches and began to stretch herself.  
‘Sakura-chan’ a familiar voice rang in the air. The brown-haired girl lifted up her head and saw her childhood friend approaching her.  
‘Ah, Tomoyo-chan’ the girl smiled. ‘You finished your lessons?’  
‘Yes. So I figured I’d go to see you’ Tomoyo answered. She was a nice and serene girl. Her hair was black, long and a little wavy. She usually had them loose, wearing a headband matching the colour of her clothes. ‘How is your training?’  
‘Good, I’m just finishing’ Sakura jumped a few times. ‘Today I ran 3 kilometres. And I found a perfect place for a picnic’ she added.  
‘That’s good to hear. Because I was just about to suggest a picnic for the afternoon’ Tomoyo singsonged, clapping her hands. ‘Mother said, she might join us this time’  
‘I’d love to. Your mother is so nice, Tomoyo-chan’ Sakura agreed and her friend smiled in response.  
‘Let’s go then, I’ll prepare some food for the picnic’ the black-haired girl decided.  
‘Ah, wait a moment, Tomoyo-chan. I want to visit Gran before we go’ Sakura remembered. Tomoyo smiled and nodded.  
They left the centre of the town and arrived at the old house, the only one which had its own flower garden. The old lady was just watering the dandelions when the girls arrived.  
‘Hello, Gran’ Sakura greeted. The lady turned towards them, smiled and put the watering can on the ground.  
‘Good day, Sakura, Tomoyo. What are you doing today?’ the lady asked.  
‘We’re just about to go prepare some food for the picnic. I found a beautiful clearing with lots of flowers’ Sakura replied cheerfully.  
‘That’s great, girls. Enjoy your picnic then’ the lady smiled and took the watering can.  
‘Ah, Gran. There’s something I wanted to ask you’ the brown-haired girl called out. The old lady gave her a surprised look.  
‘Oh? What’s that, dear?’ she asked.  
‘Could you tell me about the events from 50 years ago?’ asked the brown-haired girl. ‘I mean the incident with the royal family’  
The old lady went silent for a moment and sighed.   
‘Well, I knew you would ask about it sooner or later.' she nodded. 'Very well, what do you want to know?’  
‘About the incident… why did villagers murder the family? I heard they were loved by their people, weren’t they?’ Sakura inquired.  
‘That’s true, that the people loved the family’ Gran agreed, her memories still vivid and clear despite the passed time. ‘But times changed. After the Queen died, rumours spread. Some were saying that the family killed her, as no one knew for sure, what was the reason for Queen’s death’  
‘Couldn’t they ask the royal guards?’ the girl was confused. That's what she would do in that kind of situation. ‘They sure should have known the truth’  
‘They sure had, but the villagers didn’t trust anyone connected with the family’ Gran explained. ‘In that case, they wouldn’t listen to anything they would say. They believed that the family had murdered their Queen. And so they decided to bring the justice upon them’ the old lady paused for a moment and turned her face towards the forest. It looked like she was replaying the events in her mind before saying them aloud.  
‘And… what happened next?’ Sakura urged the woman to continue. Gran’s face darkened a little as she replied.  
‘They attacked the mansion’ the answer ringed in the air. ‘The villagers first struck on the guards. But they didn’t kill them all’  
‘Why’s that?’ Sakura wondered.  
‘They gave them a choice’ Gran’s voice was beginning to tremble. ‘Either to die, or join the mob… and many of them did. Without guard’s protection, the family didn’t stand a chance. The floor of the mansion was soaked with royal’s blood. The deed was done, no one survived the attack’ the old lady went silent for a while before continuing. ‘But then something unexpected happened. The villagers gathered all bodies in one place, but no matter how they searched, one body was missing. The King and Queen’s son was nowhere to be found. They searched for days, months… years have passed but the boy wasn’t found’ tears were falling from Gran’s eyes. ‘He never came back… forever lost to an unknown fate…’  
Both Sakura and Tomoyo stood silently watching as the old lady cried upon the boy’s fate. Sakura approached her and quietly hugged her. Gran gave few more snobs and finally calmed down.  
‘I’m sorry, girls. To see me in such a state…’ she laughed a little and mopped the tears away.  
‘It’s okay, Gran’ Sakura smiled. ‘Thank you for telling us the story’  
‘You’re very much welcome, dear’ the old lady replied and took the watering can in her hand. ‘Now, didn’t you say, you have a picnic to prepare? Then I shouldn’t stop you more’  
‘Thank you again, Gran’ the girls waved goodbye to the lady and left in the direction of their house. They were walking silently, rethinking the story they just heard.  
‘Hey, Tomoyo-chan’ Sakura spoke up. ‘Do you, by any chance, happen to know what happened after the incident?’  
‘What do you mean, Sakura-chan?’ Tomoyo looked at her friend, tilting her head in confusion.  
‘Your family lives here longer than me. Maybe you heard something…?’ the brown-haired girl explained her thoughts.  
‘Hm… I don’t know much but I think I heard something’ Tomoyo pondered, grabbing her chin. ‘Mother said that after the family was killed, the leader of the mob tried to get the power for himself only. But soon the villagers noticed his actions and the leader was killed. Since then, the mansion stayed inhabited and the mystery of boy’s disappearance was never solved. Most of the old villagers left and went to live somewhere far away from the mansion. All present habitants of the village are the ones that came here during those 50 years’  
‘Is that so…’ Sakura murmured. ‘You know, Tomoyo-chan? I feel sorry for that boy’  
‘Sorry?’ Tomoyo was confused once more.  
‘Yes, it must be sad to be forgotten and never found’ Sakura elaborated. ‘He must have been very lonely’  
‘But, Sakura-chan. He’s probably long dead’ Tomoyo argued. ‘Remember? Gran said that no one survived. They just didn’t find his body’  
‘That means, he could have survived the attack’ the brown-haired girl pointed out with a serious expression. ‘Maybe he found some secret passage and escaped that way? Or maybe he hid himself in one of the rooms? Or maybe…’  
‘You just love to imagine different scenarios, Sakura-chan’ the black-haired girl giggled. She turned towards her friend and stopped. ‘Let’s just leave it, as it is, Sakura-chan. No point in thinking about it too much’  
Both girls walked for some time in silence. As they approached Tomoyo’s family house, Sakura again started the conversation.  
‘Say, Tomoyo-chan… wouldn’t you go to that house with me tomorrow?’ she asked. Her friend looked at her puzzled.  
‘What house?’ the dark-haired girl asked.  
‘The noble’s house. The one in the wood’ Sakura stated.  
‘But wouldn’t you be scared, Sakura-chan? It’s an abandoned house in the middle of the forest. There can be ghosts in there…’ Tomoyo said. Sakura looked a little pale after hearing that but didn’t cry like she always did.  
‘Well... maybe there will…’ she replied. ‘ But I just have this feeling that there is something more to this story. And I want to uncover it’  
‘Well, if you really want to go there, then I’ll go with you, Sakura-chan’ Tomoyo smiled approvingly. ‘And I’ll make sure to record everything’ she added holding up her camera. Sakura laughed nervously, remembering her friend’s odd fascination with recording anything Sakura does.  
‘Then, we should now get prepared for the picnic’ Sakura said, leading Tomoyo’s thoughts away from the brown-haired girl. She nodded and they both entered the house holding hands.

The next day the girls got ready for travel and left the village early morning.  
‘We’ll probably be back in the evening’ Sakura said to Tomoyo’s mother before leaving.  
‘Have a good day’ the woman smiled and waved the girls goodbye.  
The girls wandered through the forest for a little while before actually finding what they were searching for.  
‘It’s harder to find than I thought’ Sakura noticed when they entered the house. ‘And really dusty inside too’ she added scanning the hallway.  
The hallway near the main entrance was in not-so-good condition but it wasn’t really bad. Some parts of the walls were burned or broken but the building was stable. There were some things, such as vases, dried flowers, books, or little tables laying here and there under the walls. They probably were turned over during the mob’s attack and no one cared to take care of them afterwards. The whole house was covered in a thick layer of dust.  
‘Oh, this place sure needs good cleaning’ Tomoyo pointed out looking around the hallway. ‘We can do this while looking around, right Sakura-chan?’  
‘I… I think so…’ the girl replied in a wobbly voice. ‘Do… do you think there are any... any ghosts here, Tomoyo-chan?’  
‘Who knows?’ the asked girl shrugged, not bothered by the thought.  
Suddenly a loud sound broke the silence of the house. Sakura cried and clung to Tomoyo, trembling with fear.  
‘What... what was that?’ she asked, her voice shaking and unstable.  
‘It sounded like glass. Maybe some vase fell and broke…?’ Tomoyo pondered. She delicately broke Sakura’s hug and turned towards the hallway. ‘I’ll check this out. Wait here, Sakura-chan’  
‘But… this can be dangerous’ Sakura protested. ‘What... what if it’s some... some ghost?’  
‘I’ll be right back, I promise’ Tomoyo reassured with a smile as she stepped into the hallway.  
Sakura watched her friend with worry but said nothing. It’s just an old, abandoned house. 'She will be okay' she thought while trying to calm herself down. It was not a minute later she heard Tomoyo’s cry.  
‘Tomoyo-chan!’ she cried and rushed towards the direction of the voice. She hurriedly opened the door at the end of a hallway, where Tomoyo disappeared to. She stepped inside… but there was no one inside. ‘Tomoyo-chan?’ she scanned the room but there were only books scattered around the floor, an old desk and a chair nearby and few old bookcases filled with books. Suddenly something caught the girl’s eye, one thing that obviously didn’t belong to this room, nor the house. She approached the middle of the room and picked up a silverish device. ‘That’s… Tomoyo’s camera’ she whispered, her voice breaking as she fought the tears. Once again she looked around the room spotting shoe traces, which came from the door and ended where the camera was lying. Sakura hugged the device and slowly fell to her knees. Tears started to fall down her cheeks. ‘Tomoyo-chan’ she whispered in pain.


	3. The Lonely Boy

After few minutes, Sakura slowly stood up. She dried the tears from her eyes and began to look around the room once again, this time more carefully. In the corner of the room, she noticed a book that didn't resemble any in the room. She picked it up and noticed a name on the cover.  
'Shaoran...' she read aloud. She was just about to open the book when she heard an angry voice from behind.  
'Hey, what are you doing here?!' a disembodied voice called out.  
Sakura jumped up, startled by the sudden yell and turned around.  
'I-I'm sorry. I'm just looking for a friend and...' she started the explanation and then her eyes fell on the person who yelled at her. Or rather a former person, to be exact. The girl shrieked, dropping the book, which hit the floor and opened. 'G-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g.....'  
'G-?' the person tilted their head, puzzled. He was a young boy, around 17 years old. His hair was brown and short in length. He was wearing green, Chinese, short-sleeved shirt and light-brown pants. He looked rather normal, apart from the fact he was transparent.  
'G-g-g-g-GHOST!!!' Sakura cried, backing away to the corner of the room. 'Please don't hurt me!'  
'I'm not going to hurt you' the boy reassured her. Then, he looked at her even more puzzled. 'Wait, you can see me?'  
Sakura slowly nodded.  
'Is that weird?' she asked.  
'Well... I think normally people don't see ghosts' the boy answered rubbing his chin. 'Maybe you're special...'  
'So you're really a ghost?' Sakura asked with trembling voice.  
'Looks like it' the boy confirmed with a nod. 'Although I don't remember anything about my previous life'  
'Even your name?' Sakura was surprised. The boy shook his head, then looked at the girl.  
'I'm sorry that I startled you' he said. Sakura shook her head and stood up.  
'No, it's okay. It's my fault I'm such a crybaby' she answered. Her eyes caught the book, which now was opened. 'Ah, this book' the girl said picking it up. It was filled with beautiful drawings. She closed the book and looked at the cover. 'Could it be... you're Shaoran?' she asked.  
The boy visibly jerked at the sound of the name.   
'That's... right. I'm Shaoran Li' he said slowly.  
'Li? Like the royal family, which used to live here?' she asked. 'I remember Gran once saying that name'  
'Yes, I am... I was the oldest son of the Li family which used to rule this country' Shaoran answered slowly, as if trying to remember as much as possible.  
'Looks like some of your memory is back' Sakura smiled.  
'Only a little. I still don't remember many things' the boy corrected. There was an awkward silence.  
'I... I can help you regain your memories, if you want' Sakura suggested, breaking the silence. Shaoran looked at her with eyes wide open.  
'Are you sure? I don't want to impose...' he said.  
'It’s okay. I like helping others' Sakura smiled. 'So I will search for Tomoyo-chan and help you get your memories back at the same time'  
'Well, thank you then' the boy bowed leaving the girl shocked.  
'Why... why did you bow?' she asked. Shaoran straightened and looked at her.  
'I'm sorry. That's how I was taught to thank people for their assistance' he replied. 'Does that bother you?'  
'No... I mean yes.... I mean....' Sakura was trying to answer without hurting the boy's feelings. 'Just... treat me as friend, okay?' she finally said. 'Friends don't need to bow to each other'  
'I'll try' Shaoran answered smiling. 'Then let's go, shall we?'  
'Okay' Sakura agreed, putting the book she had picked up into her bag. She turned around to see the boy left already. She sighed and moved towards the door, when she noticed a piece of paper which didn’t look as it belong to the room. She picked it up and scanned it. ‘Better take it with me’ she decided, putting the paper into the bag and finally leaving the room. Shaoran stood there waiting for her.  
‘May I ask you something, miss….?’ Shaoran he inquired.  
‘Ah, my name is Sakura’ the girl answered turning red. ‘Guess I forgot to present myself’ she giggled at her own clumsiness. ‘But you wanted to ask something…’  
‘Yes. You mentioned someone you’re looking for… Tomoyo-chan, was it?’ Shaoran remembered. ‘Is she a friend of yours?’  
‘Yes, Tomoyo-chan is my childhood friend’ Sakura answered. ‘I live with her and her mother. I guess she’s like a sister to me’ Sakura smiled at the thought.  
‘A… sister?’ the boy slowly repeated. Sakura gave him a puzzled look.  
‘Is something wrong? You look pale’ she noticed. The boy didn’t answer, but before Sakura could react, he ran off and disappeared behind the corner of the corridor. ‘Wha…? Shaoran? Where are you going? Wait up!’ she cried and ran after him, but she couldn’t spot him anywhere.  
She looked around hopelessly, wondering what she should do next. She spotted a door at the end of the corridor she stood in.  
‘I can as well check this room’ she decided with a shrug and made her way towards the door. She slowly opened them and peeked inside. Inside, on the left side, there was a small table filled with books and some papers on it, behind it stood the bookcase filled with more books. On the right side of the room stood a small bed and small cabinet. On the centre of the room stood a big black piano. Sakura pushed the door open and stepped inside the room.  
‘It looks like some child’s room’ she said, noticing few paper sheets with doodles on them. She approached the desk and immediately noticed a handwritten piece. Picking it up, she found out it was actually a letter. It was partly destroyed, but still readable.  


~~~

Big brother…  
I’m really sorry but… because… passed… I… to… you again…  
Please leave me alone… ……. a while…  
Mei  


~~~

Sakura was looking at the letter for few minutes, but eventually, she put it away.  
‘It’s no use. I can’t get anything more from this’ she complained with a sigh and looked at the letter again. ‘Big brother… could this be referring to Shaoran…?’ she wondered. She scanned the room and noticed a small desk with a book on it. She moved closer and opened it. ‘It looks like a diary’ she said to herself, looking through the pages. She stopped at the random page and started reading.

~~~

15th January,  
Today my sister was messing about with us again. It’s annoying about how she can a bit pushy at times. But with the help of big brother I came up with a plan…  
We stole her favourite teddy and placed a fake rat under her pillow. And then, the next morning…  
She screamed and ran around her room. I was laughing for a while until Mummy and Daddy told us off for the prank. I did get into trouble, but it was fun with big brother… I couldn’t help but be very happy…  
My brother and I were really close. We usually spent a lot of time together. Just my big brother and me… Every night he would read me a story or sing me to sleep.  
For my 7th birthday, he even went as far as buying a black ebony piano. Just for me! I was really happy and we hugged for hours!  
He was a great brother! Every morning he would teach me how to play a tune and he would smile every time I played a good song myself.  
I love my big brother! He’s the best I could have!  
Meiling

~~~

Sakura couldn’t help but smile while reading the entry.  
‘How nice of him…’ she said closing the diary. She turned around and faced the piano. It was awfully dusty, but after checking few keys Sakura noticed it was still tuned. ‘Such a long time since I played the piano…’ she whispered sitting down. ‘I wonder if I still remember something…’ she wondered placing her fingers on the keys. It turned out that even she herself didn’t remember the melody, her fingers didn’t forget it. Soon the room was filled with lovely piano music. Sakura’s fingers jumped from one key to another in perfect sync and the music flew.  
‘That was beautiful’ she heard the boy’s voice when she hit the last note. She smiled and turned around to face her ghost-friend.  
‘I used to play the piano when I was little. Guess my fingers didn’t forget that’ she replied, scratching her neck.  
‘You are very talented, Sakura-san’ Shaoran said, his eyes filled with enchantment.  
‘Thank you’ Sakura felt her face flush, so she quickly changed the subject. ‘But what happened? You suddenly ran off. I couldn’t found you…’  
‘Oh yes, I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behaviour’ Shaoran said, sadness and shame on his face. Sakura giggled a little.  
‘There you go again with your sophisticated language’ she said. ‘You can talk to me in a normal way’  
‘But… it is a normal way for me… how else should I talk to you?’ he asked puzzled with the girl’s request.  
‘Like you talk to a friend’ she answered simply. ‘I’m sure you had at least one friend, when you were…’ she stopped, looking a little guilty.  
‘Alive.’ finished Shaoran. ‘I know’ he sighed and then a smile came back to his face. ‘I will try’ he finally said.  
‘Good, then I have one more request’ Sakura asked. The boy gave her a surprised look as she continued. ‘Call me Sakura’ she finished with a smile. The boy smiled back and nodded. ‘Then… why did you ran off like that?’ she came back to the previous question.  
‘Ah, I’m sorry, but something you said made me feel a little… uncomfortable’ Shaoran answered.  
‘Something I said?’ Sakura wondered. What could she possibly have said to make the boy feel uncomfortable.  
‘It’s nothing, really’ Shaoran waved his hand dismissively. ‘It’s just… you said this friend of yours is like a sister to you… and I remembered… I had a sister… two actually. One was older and the other one was younger. But they both tended to call me big brother’  
‘That’s great, Shaoran! You seem to start remembering things!’ Sakura clapped her hands in joy.  
‘Yes, I may be able to move on after all’ the boy smiled in response.  
‘Move on?’ Sakura tilted her head in confusion.  
‘Yes, you see, I’ve been stuck in this place for quite a long time.' the answer came. 'The reason for it is that I didn’t remember my past. But now, when I start to remember…’ Sakura smiled back.  
‘Let’s go’ she said. ‘We still haven’t seen the whole house’  


They both left Meiling’s room and went along the corridor. Sakura was guiding and Shaoran simply followed. They entered a big room with few paintings hanging on the wall and a long table on the left side of the room. Sakura approached curtain to look outside. She shoved the curtain away and looked down.  
‘Hey, there’s something here!’ she said surprised, reaching out for the object. It was a small box with beautiful ornaments and a little handle on its side. ‘It looks like… it’s a music box!’ she announced happily. Shaoran was staring at the box with the absent look in his eyes. ‘Shaoran?’  
‘The music box…’ whispered the boy. ‘It’s… it’s my mother’s’ he finally said. Sakura almost dropped it but managed to hold the object.  
‘Your… mother’s?’ she asked. Shaoran nodded.  
‘It was a gift from father. But for some reason, she wasn’t fond of it’ the boy explained. ‘Once she came to me, asking if I like music. I don’t remember what my answer was, but the next day she gave me this music box’  
‘That’s so nice of her’ Sakura said.  
‘Yes, but I played it only once. When Meiling had problems falling asleep. I gave it back to my mother the next day’ Shaoran continued. ‘It was nice, but… it wasn’t mine. It was hers’  
‘I wonder if it still works…’ Sakura wondered while spinning the handle. A sweet lullaby-like music exited the music box. They both listened in silence till the last note.  
‘It sure is beautiful’ Sakura agreed. ‘But it doesn’t belong here… I’ll take it with me for now’ she decided, putting the box gently into her bag.  
They left the room and followed the corridor. Soon it turned right and ended with the big wooden door. Sakura pushed them but nothing happened.  
‘Hm… I guess these need the key’ she noted taking the corridor back to the main entrance and to the left. She passed the study room where she met Shaoran and entered the room at the end of the corridor. It turned out to be the library. Sakura walked through aisles of bookcases in astonishment, when she remembered the letter she took from the study room.  
‘Shaoran, I just remembered, I have something for you’ she said. The boy stopped and looked at her surprised. The girl reached into her bag and took out the letter. ‘It says it’s a letter from your father…’  
Shaoran was quiet for few seconds, then approached. She passed the letter to him, but he shook his head. ‘I can’t hold it. Please, read it to me’ he requested.  


~~~

My dearest children,  
As all three of you would know, our beloved Queen, your mother has passed away. Right now I feel your sadness and grief. Which leaves me with a problem.  
Without the Queen, I cannot raise all three of you in the same house. My brother, your uncle, has asked me if he was allowed to adopt either of you. But after one discussion, it was becoming clear that Shaoran did not want this at all.  
Shaoran, I understand why you would hate me now. Your mother loved you so much. She loved you right until she took her last breath. Please, forgive the fool I am.  
I do not know what is going to happen from now on… But I promise we will all stay together, no matter what.  
With love,  
Your father  


~~~

‘F-father?’ Shaoran's voice trembled. He stepped away few steps and hold his head. ‘This is…!’  
‘Shaoran?’ Sakura asked worriedly, but Shaoran heard her voice like from very far. Suddenly, it all became dark…

\---

Shaoran was passing his father’s study when he heard the King’s voice.  
‘Yes, it is true. My wife has passed away, 3 days ago…’  
‘I see… what are you planning to do?’ he heard another, unfamiliar voice. He knew he shouldn’t eavesdrop but he instinctively stopped and pushed his ear to the door.  
‘What are you referring to?’ his father asked, surprise in his voice.  
‘I mean about the rest of your life. Because the Queen is gone’ the answer was given.  
‘But, my dear brother Toya, I will manage to keep them here’ the King answered. ‘I can still keep them, even if they don’t have a mother anymore’  
‘Really?’ it sounded like the other man was calling into a question the King’s decision.  
‘What are you suggesting then?’ there was a hint of interest but also doubt in Shaoran's father's voice.  
‘Well…’ the man started and went silent for a moment. ‘What if I lighten the load on your shoulders... and adopt one of your children as my own?’  
‘W-What?’ Shaoran couldn’t believe his ears. Was Father going to give one them away? No, he could never do it! It’s impossible! ‘Why is he thinking about giving one of us up?!’ he wondered, anger gathering inside him.  
‘Brother, I need you to make a decision’ the man spoke again, the one father called Toya.  
‘I know’ the King replied slowly. ‘But I need some more time. I need to explain this to children so that they understand…’  
That was it! Shaoran couldn’t take it anymore. He pushed the door open and entered the room.  
‘Father!’ he shouted. Both his father and uncle looked surprised at his sudden appearance.  
‘Huh…? Oh… It’s only you, Shaoran’ the King said looking at him with a smile. Shaoran didn’t smile back. His face was stern and he looked angry. The King must have noticed that because he started to excuse himself. ‘Son, I know this seems bad, but it’s not what you think it is…’  
‘Oh, really?’ Shaoran interrupted him angrily.  
‘Look… just let me explain…’ the King tried to calm down his son, but with no effect at all.  
‘I don’t need you to explain it’ Shaoran cut in once again. ‘You’re going to give one of us away!’  
‘Shaoran! That’s not true!’ the King cried.  
‘Don’t lie! You were thinking about that!’ Shaoran’s anger filled his words. He couldn’t stop it anymore.  
‘Shaoran, calm down for a minute’ the King pleaded. ‘I know what you heard may be a bad decision… but I swear we can make this work. Just believe in me, Shao----‘  
‘YOU LIAR!!!’ Shaoran’s anger finally took over the boy. ‘YOU SAID YOU WOULD TRY TO TELL US THAT WE CAN’T BE A FAMILY ANYMORE!! YOU ARE A STUPID LIAR!!’  
‘I HATE YOU!!!’

\---

These were the last words Shaoran heard before blackness coming once again. Suddenly, he heard a quiet female voice from afar. He knew this voice, he knew he did. He reached out for this voice and opened his eyes.  
Sakura was kneeling before him with a worried look. Seeing him opening eyes, she gave a sigh of relief.  
‘Thanks God’ she said. ‘You scared me, Shaoran. You grabbed your head and looked like you were in pain. But you didn’t respond to my calling’  
Shaoran looked at the girl with a sad look and gave her a half-smile. It made him warm inside thinking, that she was worried about him. And they didn’t even know each other for that long.  
‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…’ he replied standing up. ‘It’s all better now’  
‘What happened?’ the worried look didn’t leave her face.  
‘Father… I’m so sorry…’ Shaoran suddenly whispered. Tears started to fall from his eyes. ‘I never meant to shout at you…’  
‘Shaoran…?’ Sakura gave the boy a puzzled look.  
‘I… I remember that day, Sakura…’ he explained. ‘My father didn’t know what to do… he tried to get some help from my uncle… but then I went in and lost it on him…’ Even more tears appeared and the boy didn’t even care to wipe them off. ‘If… If I didn’t get angry about it… and take my anger out on him… then... then… None of this would happen’  
Sakura looked at the crying boy with sadness. She didn’t know what could she say to him, but she knew, what she should do. She moved closer to the boy and embraced him in a consoling hug. She couldn't really touch him but the small gesture was enough.  
Shaoran was trying to hold it at first but soon, he let go and started crying. He cried for minutes and minutes until he finally calmed down. Then, he stepped back and gave the girl a small smile.  
‘Thank you, Sakura. That you’re here for me’ he said thankfully. She smiled back with the brightest smile he ever saw.  
‘Hey, that’s what friends are for, right?’ she stated as if it was something obvious.  
Shaoran nodded. He didn’t tell that to her but he could actually feel her hug him, feel her warmth embrace him.  
‘I’m okay now… Let’s keep moving’ he said and left the room. Sakura followed not far behind. They came back to the main entrance and noticed stairs leading to a second floor.  
‘Shall we take a look up there?’ Sakura asked, looking at the boy.  
‘I… I want to check something in the room where we found the music box’ Shaoran replied uncertainly.  
Sakura nodded and lead them back to the room. Shaoran approached the wall with the paintings, and so did she. One, in particular, caught her attention.  
It was a painting of five people, two adults and three children. One of them was a certain brown-haired Chinese boy. Sakura gazed at the painting with awe. Two adults, probably the King and the Queen, stood on the right side. The man’s hand was put on the woman’s shoulder. On the right side, on the sofa, there sat Shaoran with a little 10-year-old girl on his laps. The girl has long black hair tied in Chinese buns and she was wearing a red Chinese dress. In the centre, between the parents and the pair of siblings, stood another girl, looking slightly older than Shaoran. Her hair was brown, just like Shaoran’s, and long. They fell down freely without being tied in any way. She wore a blue Chinese dress. All of the people in the picture were smiling happily.  
‘Is this… your family?’ Sakura asked, looking at Shaoran.  
‘I think so, yes’ the boy nodded. ‘I don’t remember them well, but that’s them. That’s my parents,’ he pointed on two adults. ‘The girl sitting on my laps is my younger sister, Meiling. The other one is my older sister, Feimei’  
‘They look nice’ Sakura said, smiling. ‘You all look so happy’  
‘Because we were… at least back then…’ Shaoran confirmed. The girl gave him a surprised look. ‘Say, Sakura… do you have Mother and Father?’ he suddenly asked.  
‘Oh, I… no. Not any more’ the girl answered. The boy was shocked.  
‘Oh, I… I’m sorry. I didn’t know-‘ he started excusing himself but she cut him in.  
‘No, that’s okay’ she shook her head. ‘My mother… was very ill. She died when I was 4. My father couldn’t take it, so he left 2 years after. Luckily, Tomoyo’s mother took me in and treated me as her own daughter. I really feel like part of their family’  
‘That… sounds nice’ Shaoran smiled. ‘Your friend’s mother seems like a nice person’  
‘That’s true’ Sakura smiled too, even wider than the boy. ‘I don’t even remember my parents anymore… well, maybe a little’  
‘You shouldn’t forget them. No matter what happened, they’re your parents’ Shaoran reminded her. ‘And they always want the best for you… I know that very well…’ he fell silent again putting his head down.  
‘Hey, it’s not your fault’ Sakura grabbed the boy by his shoulders. ‘What happened – has happened. We can’t change the past. All we can do, is live the present with all our might’ she said smiling. ‘A wise man once said: Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present’  
Shaoran smiled back.  
‘I never thought about that. He surely was a wise man’ he agreed.  
‘See?’ Sakura smiled even wider. ‘Now leave those dark thoughts and let’s get going. We’ve got the house to explore. And mystery to unfold’  
Sakura left the room leaving the boy stunned by her words. He smiled again and followed the cheerful girl. And for a moment he thought that maybe his curse will come to an end. And maybe he will be allowed to move on.


	4. Memories and Clues

Sakura waited for Shaoran to join her and they both climbed the stairs up to the second floor. The girl looked both ways and noticed two doors, one on each side of the corridor.  
‘Which one should we check first?’ she asked, looking at Shaoran. The boy didn’t answer, however, so she just picked one.  
The room they entered was much bigger than any rooms they have seen so far. Right next to the door, on the left side stood a wooden closet with various ornaments sculptured on it. Some of them were very detailed, as Sakura noticed. Opposite the door stood a row of closets, bookshelves and an elegant wardrobe. Out of curiosity, Sakura glimpsed on the titles of the books which stood on the shelves. All of them were written in weird symbols, which somehow resembled Japanese.  
‘What language is that?’ she asked Shaoran.  
‘Chinese’ came the answer. ‘It’s very old language. Older than Japanese’  
‘Really?’ the girl was shocked. ‘And I thought my language was the oldest’  
‘Oh, no’ Shaoran laughed a little. ‘It is pretty old, but not as old as Chinese’  
Sakura came closer and picked up one of the books. She opened it and a large amount of dust flew into the air, making the girl cough a little. She skimmed through the page, her eyes jumping from one symbol to another. She finally gave a sigh and put the book back.  
‘I can’t understand a thing’ she said. ‘It’s nothing like Japanese’  
‘I would say it’s another way around’ Shaoran smiled. ‘I can teach you some if you want’  
‘Ah, no. It’s okay’ she shook her head. ‘It’s not like I would need it. It was just curiosity’  
‘Okay then’ Shaoran didn’t repeat his offer.  
They passed by the window covered with a purple curtain and stopped near a very elegant (and probably a very expensive) vanity mirror. Sakura reached into the drawer underneath and was surprised to actually find something inside.  
‘I’ve found something’ she stated, taking the thing out. It was a medium-sized metal key. ‘Hm… there’s no label’  
‘Let’s just take it with us’ Shaoran suggested. ‘It might come in handy’  
Sakura nodded her head and the key was put in her bag. They moved forward, passing the broken clock and some pictures covered with dust. On the left side of the room, there stood an elegant set consisting of sofa, armchair and little tea table with a vase of dried flowers on it. There was also another window, this time curtains being open, next to which stood a chair and a small bookshelf with more selection of books. Right between the open window and the vanity mirror, stood a king-sized double bed.  
‘Mother…’ a silent word exited Shaoran’s mouth. Sakura looked at the boy, who looked very sad.  
‘Shaoran?’ she asked with a puzzled look.  
‘Sakura… It’s all coming back to me…’ answered Shaoran, his eyes filled with overwhelming sadness. ‘I remember that day… The day my mother died…’  
Sakura stood silent, waiting for the boy to continue.  
‘My mother would often find me in the viewing room…’ he said  
'Viewing room?' Sakura wondered. 'Maybe that’s the other door…'  
Shaoran closed his eyes, in an attempt to better see the memory.  


‘My mother was always kind and caring to me. Ever since I was a little boy, I would always look up to her… And she would always smile at me’ a little smile entered his lips, as remembering his mother’s smile. He opened his eyes and looked at Sakura. ‘My mother was the most wonderful person in the world. Of course, there were my sisters and my father, but… I loved mother… more than anything… we were so happy as a family. But then…’ his face saddened and he stopped for a moment. Sakura lifted up her hand and placed it on his shoulder, to show her support. He smiled a little in response, but the smile quickly died away.  
‘One day, she collapsed on the floor…’ he went on. ‘My father and I panicked. When father laid her on the bed, he found out she was ill. I was scared…’ a single tear run down his cheek. ‘As the days passed, mother’s condition got worse. Her illness wasn’t going away. Every day, I would sit at her side and hold her hand… I… I didn’t want to lose my mother…’ his voice was starting to wobble, more tears escaping his eyes. ‘I was scared… scared she was going to die. Father tried to comfort me and he told me not to worry. She will feel better. I did believe him… but… only for a while…’ he took hold of his emotions, but the sadness still was present in his eyes.  
‘The following day… father gathered us into one room. So many thoughts were going through my head. I was hoping for a miracle… but…’ his face darkened. ‘Father only sighed and told us… mother… has died…’  
Sakura listened in silence. She only knew a little of how this could feel. She was very small when her mother died. But still… she could understand Shaoran’s feelings. If only just a little…  
‘My heart sank and my eyes were pouring with tears…’ tears again started falling down his face.’ I didn’t want it to be true. I didn’t want to live the rest of my life without my mother… My whole world has turned upside down… mother was gone… forever… she was never going to come back..’ Sakura leapt and embraced Shaoran in a hug. Tears were falling on the carpet in a cascade of sadness. He kept weeping for few minutes until he finally calmed down enough to continue the story.  
‘Our family… was never the same after mother died…’ he explained. ‘Father tried his best to keep us all together. Even without her… but… no matter how much he tried… we were falling apart…’  
‘…. Shaoran….’ Sakura whispered, wiping out the tear, as she was crying too. ‘Do you… do you think mother’s death was the reason why Meiling stopped playing the piano?’ she asked. Shaoran looked a little surprised by the question but nodded his head.  
‘I think you are right, Sakura. That must have been the reason’ he agreed. ‘Having to accept the cruel reality that mother was gone… I knew how she felt… she was so young… it was just as hard on her as it was on me and father…’  


They stood in silence for a couple of seconds, when Sakura suddenly remembered something.  
‘Shaoran. Your mother’s music box’ she said. ‘Would you… like me to put this back somewhere in the room?’  
‘Yes please, Sakura’ answered Shaoran. Sakura drew the music box from her bag and looked around. After a moment of thinking, she put it in the drawer under the vanity mirror.  
‘Thank you, Sakura’ the sincere smile was again on the boy's lips. Sakura blushed a little, but she couldn’t deny she liked that smile.  
‘You’re welcome’ she said, looking down not to let the boy see the red on her cheeks.  
After a moment of silence, they finally decided to leave and check the other room on the floor.  
As Sakura thought, it was indeed the viewing room Shaoran mentioned before. It was a vast room, where the walls were covered with numerous windows, making it so bright Sakura had to cover her eyes for a moment. When her eyes finally adjusted to the light, she began to look around the room. There wasn’t much to see, only some long dried plants on each side of the room and a simple wooden table with two chairs in the centre of the room. They approached one of the windows and looked outside.  
‘Woah!’ cried the girl in amusement. ‘Look at this view! It’s amazing from up here.’  
Shaoran looked at the amazed girl who was nearly eating the view outside with her eyes. He laughed a little and looked outside too.  
‘Indeed’ he replied with a smile. ‘This room was my favourite room in the whole house. I would come into this room to take in the view. Or to draw in my sketch---‘ he suddenly stopped and started looking around with fright in his eyes. ‘Oh no!’  
‘What’s wrong, Shaoran?’ Sakura was truly concerned.  
‘My sketchbook!’ he cried. ‘It was down in the study!’  
‘Shaoran, calm down’ Sakura put her hand on his shoulder. ‘I have your sketchbook’  
‘You do?!’ Shaoran was shocked and she nodded her head.  
‘Yes, it’s right here’ she put her hand in her bag and took out the notebook she found in the study room. ‘I picked it up right after you ran off’  
‘Oh… I see. I’m glad you kept it safe. Thank goodness…’ the relief was unmistakably true on the boy’s face.  
‘By the way, I had a look inside the book and I have to admit… the drawings are amazing. You really have a talent’ Sakura sounded truly amazed.  
‘Thank you…’ Shaoran looked away blushing.  
‘So… do you like drawing?’ Sakura asked in curiosity.  
‘Yes,’ the boy nodded. ‘I loved drawing and painting. When I was young, I used to be inspired by wildlife and open scenery. I wanted to be an artist when I grew up’  
‘You would be a great painter’ Sakura agreed with a smile. Shaoran smiled in return.  
‘That was my life ambition. Until that day… the day of angry mobs…’ his voice turned dark again.  
Poor Shaoran, Sakura thought.  
‘So… you remember the mob then…?’ she asked. He nodded, but it looked like he didn’t want to talk about it yet, so she didn’t push. ‘Are you ready to go?’  
‘Yes, let’s go’ Shaoran agreed and they both left the room and came back to the ground floor.  
‘Where to now?’ Sakura wondered looking around.  
‘How about we look for the door for this key we’ve found?’ Shaoran suggested.  
‘Right, the key’ Sakura remembered and took it out from her bag. ‘Hm… I don’t think I’ve seen a door which can it fit’  
‘Well, we haven’t seen the whole mansion yet’ replied Shaoran. ‘We can check this corridor now’ he pointed to the same corridor Meiling’s room was situated at. ‘We’ve only seen one part of it’  
‘Let’s go then’ the girl agreed and they went on to the corridor Shaoran pointed to. After few turns, they arrived at the big gate.  
‘It looks like the key would fit in here’ Sakura noticed cheerfully.  
‘Let’s go in then’ Shaoran smiled. Sakura turned the key and pushed the door open.  
They passed through one more door and arrived at the greatly damaged ballroom. Burns and bloodstains filled the already red carpet. Sakura climbed up the stairs to the balcony, where the corridor led in both directions. She took the left turn and after passing two closed doors, she finally arrived at the open ones. They entered the room filled with numerous paintings hanging on the walls. The girl took a notice of a fact that all of them were signed by Shaoran.  
‘They look amazing’ she said. ‘Were all these really painted by you?’  
‘Yes, I have done all the paintings you can see in this room’ the boy answered with a smile. Sakura looked at the nearest painting, amazed by the details and life-like look.  
‘You really are talented, it’s impressive!’ Sakura was astonished.  
‘Thank you’ Shaoran once again let his eyes wander somewhere else, not to blush.  
They slowly went along the wall, looking at each picture. On the other side of the room, they’ve found a wardrobe, desk with a book and some letter on it, and the bookcase. Opposite to that, there was a sleeping area with another, smaller bookshelf, a bed, and a mirror. Next to the mirror hung another picture presenting a young girl. She had long, brown hair tied in loose buns. She was wearing a green dress, similar to the one she saw Shaoran’s sisters wearing on the family portrait.  
‘She’s beautiful’ said Sakura. She was observing the portrait for a longer period. ‘That’s strange… I feel like I should recognise her… from somewhere…’ she looked at the frame and the material. ‘The painting certainly shows it’s age. It’s at least 50 years old… she’s probably an old lady by now, or she’s not alive anymore…’  
‘Sakura… are you alright?’ Shaoran asked concerned.  
‘Ah, I’m okay, Shaoran’ she answered with a smile. ‘It’s probably nothing. Let’s check other rooms’  
Shaoran nodded and followed the girl, but he decided to observe her for some time.  
That surely wasn’t anything, he thought to himself. They approached the desk again and Sakura picked up the letter.  
‘You don’t mind I take a look?’ she asked Shaoran before reading.  
‘It’s okay, go ahead’ he replied with a smile. She peered at the name written on the bottom of the page. It was written by Mechiko.  
‘Mechiko?’ wondered Sakura. ‘That name sounds familiar…’  
‘This...!’ Shaoran’s eyes were fixed on the name. Suddenly, a memory came to him.

\---

A young girl was sitting on the grass right before him, rubbing her back.  
‘Are you alright, miss?’ he asked, offering the girl his hand. She gratefully took it and, with his help, stood up.

\---

‘Shaoran, are you alright?’ he heard Sakura’s voice. He looked at her, the concern visible in her eyes. ‘Did you have another flashback?’  
‘… Yes…’ confirmed the boy. ‘It was about a girl… a girl I once knew… 50 years ago… her name was Mechiko…’  
‘Who was she? What was she like?’ Sakura asked. She was glad Shaoran was remembering more of his past.  


‘She was a young farm girl who came from a nearby village…’ he replied. ‘It was strange because I met her by accident’ he closed his eyes, again trying to grasp the memory.  
‘I was out on a walk, getting my mind off things. Then, all of sudden, I bumped into this girl. I didn’t see where I was going. So at that moment in time, I was really guilty about the incident. Luckily, she wasn’t hurt. She said she was alright. I looked into the girl’s eyes… and I couldn’t help but notice, how pretty she was. Or rather, charming. She was as beautiful as an angel. Her eyes were like sapphires. They were a gorgeous blue colour’ Shaoran looked really charmed at that moment like she really could see the face and the eyes of this girl he met so long ago.  
‘Mechiko and I started to become really close friends after that day. I even invited her to my house one time. My parents really liked her. We always kept in touch with each other since then’ another memory appeared in his mind, showing him and Mechiko together in the viewing room, laughing and talking.  
‘Mechiko and I spent a lot of days together in the viewing room. She told me that she loved the scenery and wildlife that our kingdom had’ Shaoran continued.’ When she saw my sketchbook and some paintings I’ve done… she wanted to learn how to draw and paint. She wanted to be an artist like me. So… I taught her everything about art. But… the thing is…’ his face changed, remembering something. ‘… I had a strange feeling inside of me when I was with Mechiko… it was a strong feeling that I couldn’t control. Something that I’ve never felt before…’  
Sakura watched Shaoran trying to understand the feelings from so long ago.  
‘Shaoran… Did you love her?’ she asked quietly. He was surprised to hear that kind of conclusion, but after giving it a thought, he had to agree with her.  
‘Yes…’ he nodded. ‘I loved Mechiko. I loved her for such a long time. All I ever wanted was to spend the rest of my life with her’ then his face darkened again. ‘But… I never saw her again after the mobs' attacks…’ the darkness changed to sadness. ‘I missed her so much, but… I don’t think she’s alive anymore… she may be dead and gone too’  
‘Wait a moment…’ Sakura was thinking very hard. ‘Something tells me that’s not entirely true… the name Mechiko does ring a bell…’ she started walking back and forth to help her think.  
50 years ago she probably must have been younger than Shaoran… she thought. So with this in mind… is she really dead…? Then it hit her.  
‘Exactly! If she was really close with the family… then there is a strong possibility that… she would still be alive to remember the events from 50 years ago… which can only mean one thing…’ she spoke up with excitement  
Shaoran looked really confused at this moment. ‘Sakura…?’ he asked.  
‘Of course! That must be it!’ she shouted happily. ‘Gran’s real name is Mechiko! She has to be the same girl from 50 years ago!’  
‘W-what?!’ the words struck Shaoran. ‘What did you say?’  
‘Shaoran, I think I’ve worked it out’ Sakura was really happy. ‘Mechiko is not dead!’  
‘What?’ it was really hard for the boy to digest the information. ‘What are you talking about…?’  
‘2 years ago, when Tomoyo-chan and I moved to this village… we met an old lady who was called Mechiko’ Sakura explained. ‘Even though, we call her Gran because we got to know each other. She used to tell me about your family from 50 years ago. She was the only person from the village who was very close to your family. And the only one alive who remembers the attacks and the tragedy…’ she added. ‘She loved doing art, like you. She told me she learned it from a young man 50 years ago’  
‘She… she did?’ Shaoran still couldn’t comprehend her words. Sakura simply nodded her head. ‘So... are you saying…?’  
‘Don’t you see? It all makes sense now’ Sakura answered. ‘The same girl you knew and loved… is still alive!’ the shock on Shaoran’s face was real. ‘She was taught how to draw and paint… by you, Shaoran Li!’  
Suddenly, Shaoran moved back few steps, which surprised Sakura.  
‘Shaoran?’ she moved towards him with a questioning look. The boy looked down.  
‘Mechiko…’ he whispered. ‘I thought… she was dead… I… had no idea… she was still alive…’  
‘I’m sorry, Shaoran…’ Sakura apologized.  
‘No, Sakura…’ Shaoran lifted up his head and looked at her. ‘It’s not your fault for how I reacted. I loved Mechiko so much…I didn’t want to lose her like I lost… my mother, but… that was cut short when the mobs came…’  
‘But Shaoran…’ Sakura was now truly concerned. Did he love her that much?, she thought.  
‘Don’t worry about it…’ Shaoran smiled a little. ‘If you want me to be honest with you… I’m glad she’s still alive. She was… the most wonderful girl I’ve ever loved… I would do anything in the world just to see her beautiful smile again, but…’ he looked down again, a smile turned upside down. ‘…that’s never going to happen… because… I’m not alive anymore…’ Sakura bravely fought her tears. Shaoran’s story was just so heart-breaking. ‘I’ve been dead and trapped in this house for 50 long years…’ he finished and went silent. Sakura didn’t say anything too, she knew he needed this silence.  


They left the room and followed the corridor left. Suddenly, they arrived at the enormous hole right in the middle of the floor.  
‘Wooah!’ Sakura screamed, nearly falling down, stepping back at the last moment.  
‘Looks like we will have to go back’ decided Shaoran. ‘Are you alright?’  
‘Yes… I’m okay..’ answered the girl and silently went back all the way to the stairs and further to the left. She approached the first door when she noticed Shaoran staying behind.  
‘Sakura…’ he said, sounding really sad.  
‘What’s the matter, Shaoran?’ Sakura turned around to face the boy.  
‘I… remember this room…’ he exclaimed. ‘It’s my father’s office…’  
‘Ah… I see’ that was the only answer she could give. ‘Do you want to check it then?’  
‘Yes…’ he replied.  
They entered the king’s office. But when they went in… there were in for a nasty shock.  
‘Wh-what’s this?!’ Sakura was frightened. They were looking at a large stain of blood covering part of the wall.  
‘Oh my god.’ Shaoran was as nearly shocked as she was. He took a few steps forward and examined the wall. ‘There is no mistake…’ he said. ‘This is blood’  
‘WHAT?!’ now Sakura, too, was terrified. Small bloodstains on the red carpet were unsettling, but nothing compared to this. They were barely visible, and this… ‘I don’t understand. Why is there blood here?’  
Shaoran was thinking for few seconds, then he got an idea.  
‘That must be it’ he exclaimed. ‘I think someone was murdered here’  
‘M-murdered?’ Sakura looked like she was about to faint now. She took a few deep breaths and looked at the stain again. ‘Any… any idea who?’  
‘Now that’s a good question…’ Shaoran replied.  
‘I… just hope it’s not Tomoyo-chan’s…’ the girl wished. ‘Please, be alive…’ she whispered a short prayer.  
‘No…’ she suddenly heard a quiet whisper. She turned around to see Shaoran holding his head, the eyes struck open and filled with fear.  
‘Shaoran…?’ she asked with worry.  
‘It… it can’t be…’ it looked like Shaoran was lost in his memories.  
‘What is it? What’s wrong?’ Sakura desperately tried to get to his friend, but with no use. Shaoran could hear Sakura calling him, but it was like from very far. Then, the memory came.

\---

‘Please, stop!’ he heard his father’s voice from the office. ‘Why are you doing this to me?! What did I do to deserve this?! Please, stop it now, I’m begging you!’  
‘SHUT UP!’ the other voice shouted. ‘You are a traitor to our land! You were the one who killed the Queen, didn’t you!’  
‘That’s not true!’ father denied.  
‘F-father…?’ Shaoran was shocked. He never heard his father shouting before.  
‘W-wait! What are you doing with that?!’ he could hear the fear in his father’s voice. ‘P-put that down! This is madness!’  
‘Long live the king’ the other voice said.  
‘Father!’ Shaoran cried in despair.  
‘N-no! Don’t do this-‘ then, there was a gunshot.  
‘NO!’ Shaoran cried again.

\---

‘Shaoran!’ Sakura was terrified. Shaoran could see the tears in her eyes. ‘Don’t scare me like that!’  
‘Sakura…’ the boy looked down. ‘This blood… was my father’s blood…’  
‘W-what?’ Sakura gasped in shock. ‘This was… your father’s…?  
‘Yes…’ and again, sadness entered his face. ‘My father… was murdered in this very room…’  
‘Oh my…’ Sakura was shocked.  
‘I was outside, watching through the window’ Shaoran explained. ‘There was some kind of argument. Between my father.. and someone else. In this room. I couldn’t identify exactly who was it… but the argument lasted only for a moment…’  
Sakura didn’t like where it was leading to, but she bravely listened to Shaoran’s story.  
‘And then… I heard gunshots…’ his head went down again. ‘I peeked in through the door. My heart was in my throat… and then… I saw him. Blood splattered on the wall… and his body… lifeless and limp against the floor…’ he could see the father’s body right before his eyes. It was a dreadful look and he was glad Sakura couldn’t see it. ‘My father was shot in the heart… four times…’  
Sakura covered her mouth in terror.  
‘He… was never attacked by the mobs…’ Shaoran said with grief. ‘He was murdered… right in front of me… I was scared the whole time…’  
‘Shaoran…’ Sakura was concerned. She couldn’t even imagine how this could feel, to see your father murdered. ‘I’m really sorry…’ that was all she was able to say.  
‘No, it’s okay…’ Shaoran replied. But the girl could see, it wasn’t. ‘I still feel for father… and I know he will wait for me… with the rest of my family… on the other side…’  
Sakura went silent again. She approached the desk and looked through some documents. On top of them, there was a note with “Not for adoption!” written on it.  
‘He never wanted to give up on you’ Sakura she spoke up quietly.  
‘I lashed out at my own father over nothing…’ whispered Shaoran and looked down ashamed.  
They briefly explored the room and left. Further on the corridor, they approached another door. Sakura pushed the handle, but they didn’t budge.  
‘Hm… looks like I can’t get them open’ she commented.  
‘I can go in and have a look’ Shaoran suggested with a smile.  
‘But how? I can’t get the door open’ the girl asked puzzled. Shaoran laughed a little.  
‘I’m a ghost, remember?’ he replied. ‘I can pass through doors’  
‘Oh, that’s right’ Sakura mentally hit herself in the head. I almost forgot he’s not alive, she thought. ‘Go on then’  
‘Right, I won’t be long’ he promised before entering the room.  
‘I’ll wait for you out here’ the girl promised with a smile.  


Shaoran entered the room and looked around. On the floor there laid pink carpet. He approached the nearest bookshelf and looked through it. It contained a selection of books about cooking and gardening.  
‘I think our maid used to read these to keep up with her work’ he remembered. He went on and noticed a painting on a wall. It was signed by Feimei. ‘Feimei…? I didn’t know she painted…’ he decided not to think about it too much and explore the rest of the room. There was a bed in the right corner, some dried flowers on a night-table, and a desk on the left corner. There was an open book on it, so he approached and looked inside. It was an old diary ‘Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to read a page or two’ he decided, and started reading.

~~~

3rd March  
Miss Feimei was crying by herself again… It couldn’t be helped though, the whole family was still mourning over Milady’s death…  
‘Mother…’ a quiet whisper escaped his mouth, but he continued reading.  
His Majesty was also going through a tough time… It must have been hard for him, having to cope with the loss of his wife…  
I tried to comfort Miss Feimei as much as I could. But, it didn’t work… She was often alone… Since the young miss and master, Meiling and Shaoran always teased her… Miss Meiling often got her older brother involved… But as for Master Shaoran…  
He didn’t like teasing his own older sister… I could see this in his eyes…  
Shaoran went silent but kept on reading.  
Miss Feimei would rely on her younger brother. Whenever she was scared of something, he was there for her… he would hug her if she was afraid, sad or lonely.  
Mr Shaoran was always caring for her. Mr Shaoran has a kind heart, just like his mother. He loves his family more than anything in the whole world.  
I know I’m just a maid of this family, but I do admire their generosity… They were the kindest and the most generous family I’ve ever worked for. It’s a blessing.  
Xiao-Mei  
~~~ 

Shaoran went silent, contemplating what he just read. And then, another memory came in.

\---

‘Big brother, I’m scared…’ Feimei was standing before him, looking at him with fearful eyes.

\---

‘Feimei!’ Shaoran cried out his sister’s name. He took a moment to calm down. ‘That’s right… Now I remember…’ he finally said. ‘Feimei… was my older sister…’ he contemplated the memory for a moment when he remembered Sakura was waiting for him outside of the room. ‘I better go and tell Sakura’ he decided. He quickly left the room and joined the girl.  
‘Oh, you’re back’ there was this smile again. The cheerful and sincere smile which always made him blush. But why? Didn’t he love Mechiko?  
‘I didn’t take too long, didn’t I’ he replied, deciding not to think about it too much.  
‘No’ she answered. ‘Did you found anything?’  
‘Actually, yes, I did’ he nodded. ‘I’ve found an old diary on the desk. It was the maid’s diary. It said a little about what happened to our family, after my mother’s death’  
‘That’s… not all, isn’t it?’ Sakura asked as she noticed a hesitation in the boy's voice.  
‘Oh, right. I remembered something else’ he said. The questioning look on Sakura’s face made him continue. ‘It was about Feimei… she was my sister’  
‘Your sister?’ Sakura was confused for a moment. ‘Oh, the one on the family portrait. You told me about it’  
‘I did?’ now he was confused. Sakura giggled.  
‘Memory problems’ she commented. ‘You said she was the oldest, but both her and Meiling called you big brother’  
‘According to the diary… Meiling got me involved into teasing Feimei’ Shaoran explained.  
‘Why would she do that? Weren’t you a family?’ Sakura asked.  
‘I don’t know. She was young and messing about…’ the answer came. ‘Other than that… there wasn’t anything else’  
‘Hey, Shaoran’ Sakura was thinking about something. ‘Can we… go and investigate her room?’  
‘Feimei’s room?’ Shaoran was confused. ‘Why?’  
‘Maybe there are more clues in the room. We can check it out’ Sakura explained. ‘We never know what we will find in there’  
‘You’re right, Sakura’ he agreed. ‘Let’s keep going’  
Sakura smiled and went down the corridor, towards the ballroom. Shaoran gazed at her figure, mesmerised. Why is she so nice to me?, he wondered. She had barely met me… so why?


	5. Lost and Found

Shaoran caught up with Sakura who was already approaching the ballroom.  
‘So… where is Feimei’s room?’ the girl asked looking at the boy. Saoran closed his eyes for a moment then shook his head.  
‘I’m sorry, my memory is still a little fuzzy’ he said. ‘But I think it’s somewhere on this floor’ Sakura shook her head in response and smiled.  
‘No, it’s okay. We’ll just look at the rooms on the other side’ she decided and started walking. Shaoran looked at her amazed.  
‘You’re so reliable, Sakura’ he said. The girl blushed and looked away.  
‘That’s… not true’ she replied. ‘I’m clumsy, I stumble on my own feet, I’m afraid of ghosts…’  
‘I haven’t seen you stumble even once during our time together’ Shaoran pointed out. ‘And, I dare to remind you I’m a ghost myself, nevertheless here you are, casually walking by my side and talking to me’  
‘I…’ Sakura tried to find a valid response against the boy’s reasoning but couldn’t think of anything sensible enough, so she just remained silent.  
They followed the corridor to the west wing. There were two doors so Sakura simply moved towards the first one. They entered a simple bedroom with a small bookshelf, a wardrobe, a small table with a dried tulip in a vase, and some plush rabbits sitting on another table next to the jewellery box. Next to the table stood a small vanity mirror, on the other side of the room they found another wardrobe, opposite to which stood a desk with an open book and a letter. Finally, in the corner of the room stood a bed with pink flower cover.  
Sakura looked at the bed and smiled.  
‘Looks like we’ve found Feimei’s room’ she said. Shaoran was looking at the bed too, thinking.  
‘Something… there is something missing from this bed…’ he said finally. after a moment of silence.  
‘Shaoran?’ Sakura took a puzzled look at the boy but he just stood there in silence. After a few minutes, he shook his head in defeat.  
They moved towards the desk with a letter and a book. Sakura decided to leave the letter alone, at least for now, and focus on the book next to it. Looking closer, she noticed a discarded note inside the page. She grabbed it and looked at it.  
‘This has some numbers in here…’ she said showing the paper to the ghost boy. Shaoran looked at the paper puzzled.  
‘They don’t look like numbers to me’ he said. True, the writing on the paper wasn’t similar to any numbers he had ever seen. Sakura looked at the paper once again and put it in her bag.  
‘I’m sure I can work it out, somehow…’ she decided. Shaoran just smiled. ‘Well, other than that, it doesn’t look like there’s anything useful here’  
‘Looks like it’ Shaoran agreed. ‘So where do we go now?’  
‘Why don’t we check the other room?’ Sakura suggested. Shaoran simply nodded and followed the girl.  
The room they entered was even simpler than the last one. Apart from two couches in the bottom right corner, table with four chairs in the bottom-left corner, few boxes by the wall and a desk by the top wall, there was hardly anything there.  
Sakura approached the desk and gazed at the document laying on it.  
‘If the queen passes away, the king will have to give up one of his children to rule. If not, his relative will take his place as king…’ she read out. ‘What is this, Shaoran?’ she asked.  
‘I don’t know…’ the boy replied puzzled. ‘I’ve never heard that rule…’  
Sakura then noticed an old case laying in the centre of the desk.  
‘I wonder what’s in this case…’ she murmured slowly opening the lid. ‘Empty…?’  
‘What is it, Sakura?’ asked Shaoran, noticing the open case. He approached the girl and looked inside, then suddenly jumped back. ‘What the…!?’  
‘Shaoran…?’ Sakura was surprised at the boy’s sudden reaction. ‘What is it?’  
‘It’s… it’s a gun case’ he replied going pale. ‘It’s a gun case, so it’s supposed to be in there…’  
‘What are you talking about?’ Sakura was even more puzzled now. ‘What is supposed to be in there?’  
‘The gun, Sakura’ said Shaoran looking her straight to the eyes. ‘The gun is gone!’  
‘What?!’ now Sakura, too, went pale, stepping back from the case. ‘The gun is not in the case…?’  
‘It’s not there!’ repeated Shaoran. ‘But… that’s not possible…’  
Why is the gun missing? Did someone took it…?, Sakura's thoughts were rushing through her head. If there was something she was more afraid of than ghosts, it was guns.  
‘Ah! That must be it!’ said Shaoran so suddenly that Sakura squeaked and jumped. ‘Oh, I’m sorry, Sakura. Didn’t want to startle you’ he apologized quickly with an embarrassed flush on his cheeks.  
‘It’s okay…’ the girl replied calming down. ‘But why did you shout like that?’  
‘Sakura…’ Shaoran looked down and went sad. ‘This… was the same gun that was used to kill my Father…’  
‘Are... are you sure?’ Sakura asked and Shaoran nodded.  
‘Sakura, when I was looking through the door… before I saw my Father die… I saw the gun…’ Sakura covered her mouth in shock. ‘The person who shot my father used the same gun from this case…’ Shaoran pointed to the open box at the desk.  
‘That… that makes sense, I guess’ Sakura said with a sad face, then looked at the said case again. ‘But I still don’t get it’ Shaoran tilted his head, puzzled by the girl's response. ‘If this was the same gun that killed your Father,’ she continued. ‘Why is it still missing?’  
Shaoran shook his head.  
‘I don’t know, Sakura’ he said. ‘I simply don’t know’  
‘Ah!’ Sakura waved her hands before her apologetically. ‘That’s not what I meant. I was just thinking aloud’ she took another glance at the case, suddenly noticing something. ‘Shaoran, there are some initials on top of the case’  
Truthfully, on top of the case two letters were embedded: T.L.  
‘T.L.?’ Sakura looked at the letters confused. She looked at Shaoran, but he looked as confused as she was. ‘Well, no use thinking about it too much’ she decided quickly with a smile and left the room. ‘There are still places we haven’t seen’  
They left the ballroom through the giant door and entered the main corridor. From there, Sakura turned right, towards the back wall.  
‘This was Meiling’s room’ she pointed to the door on the right, then to the door opposite. ‘But we haven’t visited this room yet. When I checked last time it was locked’  
‘So what makes you think it will be open now?’ Shaoran looked puzzled. Locked door don’t just open by themselves. Sakura shrugged.  
‘Just a hunch’ she replied and pushed the handle. There was a click and the door moved. ‘Oh, it’s open now’ she said with a smile and entered the room, Shaoran following close by.  
The room was rather medium-sized, with a long bar table on the right side, behind which stood two cabinets full of plates and glasses. On the other side of the room there was a little tea table with a vase of dried flowers on top of it, surrounded by two red couches and two red armchairs. There were also some chests of drawers, two small bookcases, one more cabinet of plates and a small fireplace.  
Sakura and Shaoran looked around the room, searching for any clues concerning the mystery of the place. Just when they thought there was nothing in this room, Sakura opened the last cabinet behind the bar.  
‘Shaoran, look’ she called the boy. ‘I found a safe. It needs a combination, though…’  
They both looked at the 4-digits thinking where could they take the numbers from.  
‘Oh, the numbers!’ exclaimed suddenly Sakura and reached for her bag, taking out the piece of paper they’ve found in Feimei’s room. Shaoran looked again and gasped.  
‘They’re written in the mirror font!’ he exclaimed, Sakura smiling widely.  
‘Told you they were numbers’ she said inputting the code to the safe. There was a soft click and Sakura's smile became even broader. ‘Got it!’  
‘Well done’ Shaoran put his hand on the girl’s head and ruffled her hair. Although his hand went right through, Sakura still appreciated the gesture. They looked inside the safe and Sakura took out the only two things that were inside.  
‘A note and the key…’ she said looking at the objects in her hand. She noticed a small label on the key with words ‘Lounge room’ written on it. She looked at the note.  
~~~

Please, protect Shaoran.  
Mechiko  
~~~ 

‘Mechiko…?’ Sakura whispered under her breath looking at the note. ‘But… why would she send a note?’  
Shaoran looked at the note too, when suddenly his head ached and a vision showed up before his eyes.

\---

It was a rainy evening, clouds were crowding on the sky and the rain poured heavily. He was standing before the entrance to the mansion, his Father a few steps behind him, and Mechiko just in front of him.  
‘Mechiko…’ he said quietly, reaching out to the girl, but his hand stopped mid-air and fell to his side. She just stood there, silently, her eyes looking down as to not see his face. She suddenly looked up and approached him.  
‘Shaoran…’ she said, pain in her voice. It hurt him to hear it, to see her so sad. ‘I’m so sorry about your mother…’ she looked down again, as to not let him see her tears.  
‘No… you don’t have to apologise’ Shaoran shook his head. He wanted no more than to hug her, to feel her in his arms. But at the same time, something stopped him from doing so. She looked him in the eyes again.  
‘Shaoran…’ oh God, how he loved when she said his name. But why did it sound so hurt? Why can’t she just smile, like she always does?  
‘What is it?’ he asked, trying to smile. She then looked away, gazing at the Father behind him.  
‘Your Majesty…’ she said, her eyes filled with determination and sorrow.  
‘Yes, love?’ the king smiled and approached the pair.  
‘Can you keep Shaoran safe for me?’ she asked. Shaoran looked at her, shocked. Why was she saying that? Why was she asking for king’s protection for him?  
‘Mechiko?’ he asked, but she just looked away.  
‘I just hope nothing bad happens to you and your family…’ she whispered, but he could perfectly hear her.  
‘Do not fret’ the king said. ‘My son and my children will be safe’ Mechiko smiled lightly.  
‘Thank you, Your Majesty’ she replied with a little bow.  
‘Mechiko…’ Shaoran couldn’t understand, why was she saying those things. She looked at him again, the smile replaced with a sad face again.  
‘Shaoran…’ she came closer and grabbed his hands, holding them in hers. ‘I want you to be strong for me, Shaoran… I’m not doing this out of choice… I just want to protect you…’  
‘But Mechiko… why?’ he asked. He just couldn’t understand the girl standing before him. ‘Nothing is going to happen…’  
‘You may think so…’ she replied. ‘But, if I stay here, with the situation going on… neither of us is going to survive…’ he just looked at her shocked. ‘Knowing your Father, this could endanger my life, as well as your own if I remain here…’  
‘No… don’t leave, Mechiko’ he begged, tears starting to fall down his eyes. ‘I don’t want you to go’  
She just stood there silently, when suddenly she pulled him to the embracing hug. He hugged her back.  
‘Mechiko, you are so precious to me’ he whispered only for her to hear. ‘You mean a lot to me. I don’t want to lose you, Mechiko’  
‘You won’t, Shaoran’ she replied, speaking right into his ear. ‘I love you with all my heart, darling. But please, try to understand…’ she moved back a few steps and looked at him. ‘This is not goodbye, okay?’  
‘Mechiko…’ he was looking at his beloved woman, so close, yet so far away from him.  
‘I’m just keeping my distance until everything goes back to normal…’ she promised, looking down again, then looking at him. ‘Promise you will be strong for me, Shaoran?’  
‘I promise, love…’ he replied although it broke his heart. No matter what she said, he felt like this was the last time they’re seeing each other. She took a few steps back.  
‘Well, I hope life treats you well…’ she said. ‘Until we meet again, my sweetheart’  
Then she turned around and moved towards the village, away from him. He couldn’t see it, but she, too, was crying. He held up his hand as to grab her, but she already was away from his reach.  
‘Goodbye, my love…’ he whispered for the last time.

\---

‘Shaoran…?’ Sakura was looking at the boy with concerned eyes. He just smiled sadly.  
‘I just remembered something, Sakura’ he said. ‘The time I saw Mechiko for the last time’  
Sakura simply nodded and moved towards the door. She was just about to leave when Shaoran called her.  
‘Sakura…?’ he said. ‘You don’t look so good. Why don’t you sit down?’ he suggested. She slowly turned around so to face him.  
‘I can’t Shaoran… I just can’t…’ she replied, a serious look on her face. Shaoran shook his head.  
‘Look, I know you want to find your friend. But this won’t help you at all. You need to rest for a while…’ he explained. Sakura looked at him for a while then sighed.  
‘Okay’ she agreed and moved towards the couches.  
She sat down and closed her eyes. Tomoyo-chan…, she thought. She reached into her bag and took out the camera Tomoyo always had with her. What have I done? Tomoyo-chan… I hope you’re alright… she closed her eyes again and remembered the events from not so far ago.

\---

Sakura and Tomoyo were sitting at the table in the kitchen. It was just after Sakura told Tomoyo she wanted to visit the old mansion.  
‘But, Sakura-chan. You’re going to need someone to keep your balance’ the black-haired girl giggled but then looked at her friend with a serious face.  
‘But Tomoyo-chan…’ Sakura tried to reason her friend out of accompanying her. ‘You just told me this was dangerous! I don’t want you getting hurt…’  
‘Sakura-chan, we are sisters’ Tomoyo replied. ‘Maybe not by blood but I and my mother always thought of you as a relative. We do things together. I definitely won’t let you go alone’

\---

Then the memory ended, and Sakura remembered the moment they entered the house. They’ve just heard some noise, and Tomoyo decided to check it out.  
\--- 

‘Y-you will come back, won’t you?’ asked Sakura shaking. Tomoyo smiled.  
‘I promise’ she just said, and then she went off.

\---

Sakura looked at the camera again. This is all my fault, she thought. I shouldn’t have let you go alone. You wouldn’t have to break a promise if I did. What was I thinking? To let my friend go alone like that…? To put her life in danger…? Sakura hugged the camera tears welling in her eyes. I’m so sorry, Tomoyo-chan, please, forgive me…  
Shaoran stood next to the girl, observing. It broke his heart to see her so sad. He wanted nothing more than hug her and tell her everything’s going to be alright. Then, he remembered Mechiko. Was it wrong of him to want to console this girl before him? Was he being unfaithful to Mechiko thinking like that? He took a few steps back to give Sakura some time for herself.  
‘I guess Sakura really is worried about her friend…’ he said quietly. ‘She’s lost without her… her friend… she and her mother are the only people she has left… I know how she feels… I understand her pain’ he looked around the room once more. ‘Huh, this room is…?’ he suddenly felt the pain in his head, and another memory came upon.

\---

Shaoran was standing in the centre of this room, along with Meiling and Feimei. All of them had sad looks on their faces, Meiling was almost crying.  
‘Big brother…’ she said quietly.  
‘What is it, Meiling?’ Shaoran asked smiling. He has to be strong. For Father, for Meiling, for Feimei… and for Mechiko.  
‘Why has Father told us to come here?’ she asked, gripping the edge of her dress. Feimei came closer, looking straight at Shaoran with concerned eyes.  
‘I don’t really like it, Shaoran’ she said.  
‘Hey, don’t barge in like that, Feimei!’ shouted Meiling angrily.  
‘Calm down, Meiling’ Shaoran said, putting his hand on her head ‘I’m not happy with the situation either, but you know Feimei can’t help it when she’s scared’  
Meiling puffed a little but calmed down. Shaoran looked at his older sister with a smile and, too, put another hand on her head.  
‘It’s okay, Feimei. Everything’s going to be fine…’ he said ruffling through both of her hair.  
‘Are you sure, brother?’ Feimei asked, her eyes filled with uncertainty. He nodded and smiled again.  
‘I promise you’ he said. ‘Don’t worry, both of you. It’s going to be okay’  
They both nodded and stepped away. Just then, the door to the room opened and their father stepped inside.  
‘Thank you for waiting, Children’ he said. ‘I think it’s time for you to meet someone very important to me’  
They all looked at the man who just entered the room. He was similar with age to the Father, his hair were brown and he wore an annoyed expression on his face.  
‘This is my brother, Toya Li, your uncle’ the king introduced the man. The children were in shock.  
‘Our… uncle?’ Feimei asked confused.  
‘What?!’ Meiling shouted surprised. Shaoran just stood still and observed the man.  
‘Toya, these are my children’ the king said, waving his hand towards them. ‘Feimei, my oldest daughter, my son, Shaoran, and the youngest, Meiling’  
‘Ah, it’s the pleasure to meet you all’ the man nodded, but his expression didn’t change. He approached Shaoran and studied him for a while. ‘Shaoran, such a grown-up name’ he commented. ‘It suits you, like a gentleman’ Shaoran just looked at the man with angry expression. ‘I envy you, Shaoran’ the man went on as if he didn’t notice the boy’s face. ‘Your eyes are like amber. They are so light. I am truly jealous…’  
Just then Father approached the children.  
‘As you can see, my son isn’t exactly the talking type’ he addressed his brother. ‘Shaoran is not used to strangers. The same with Meiling and Feimei’  
As he said that, both of them grabbed a side of Shaoran’s clothing.  
‘My apologies for my son’s behaviour’ the king continued.  
‘No, it’s quite alright, brother’ the man replied with a shake of his head.  
Why the hell is this person here?!, Shaoran thought in annoyance.  
‘Anyway, shall we go for our discussion?’ the man addressed the Father. The king nodded.  
‘Yes, in my office. You go ahead, I need a moment’ he said.  
‘Very well’ came the reply and the king’s brother left the room.  
‘Now, all of you, listen to me’ the Father said with a serious expression. ‘My brother is going to be living here from now on… he’s going to help me deal with the problems in our kingdom’  
‘Mother…’ Feimei whispered grabbing her brother’s clothing even more. Mother is not here anymore, Feimei, he thought sadly.  
‘But Father!’ Meiling objected.  
‘No “buts”!’ the king interrupted. rising his voice a little. ‘You’re going to have to learn to like him. Whether you like it or not! Understand?’  
None of the children said anything which gained the king’s approval.  
‘Good’ he said before turning around and leaving the room. The children were standing still, processing what the Father had just said.  
‘Shaoran… why did uncle Toya stare at you?’ Meiling asked terrified. Feimei looked at the boy with a puzzled look.  
‘Father…’ Shaoran simply murmured before storming off the room, leaving his two sisters alone.  
‘What’s going on with big brother?’ Meiling tilted her head in concern.  
‘I… have no idea’ the older sister replied.

\---

‘Earth to Shaoran!’ he heard a cry which startled him. Shaoran looked around only to see Sakura standing behind him.  
‘Oh, it’s only you, Sakura…’ he said.  
‘Ah, I’m sorry, I didn’t want to startle you’ Sakura apologised. ‘But you weren’t responding to me’  
‘No need to apologize, Sakura’ Shaoran replied with a smile. ‘But, how are you feeling?’  
‘I fell much better now, thank you’ the girl answered with a blush. Shaoran saw it, and he, too, blushed a little and looked away. ‘I… I guess I needed a small break’  
‘Okay. It’s nothing personal, I was only looking out for you’ Shaoran said still looking away. ’Well, if you’re feeling better we can continue our search’ he decided and moved towards the door.  
Just when they were to leave, the door suddenly opened, making Sakura stumble and fall down.  
‘Ouch,’ she said massaging her but, when she noticed a man standing in front of her. He had short brown hair and brown eyes, looking around with annoyed expression. He looked at her and she moved a few meters back.  
‘How strange…’ he said, his eyes still locked on the girl. ‘I don’t often have visitors here’  
Sakura and Shaoran both looked at the man shocked. The man held up his hand and helped Sakura back on her feet.  
‘Hello, fellow stranger’ he said, which made Sakura puzzled. Fellow, she thought. ‘Would you mind answering me some questions?’  
‘Okay…’ the girl answered slowly, wondering what does this man want.  
‘First, what is your name?’ the man asked.  
‘Ah, my name is Sakura. Kinomoto Sakura’ she replied with a bow. ‘Pleased to make your acquaintance’  
‘Okay then, Sakura’ the man nodded his head in approval. ‘I might as well tell you my name, then. My name is Toya II, and my father was the brother to our king’  
Sakura was looking at the man before her in shock. Before she could say anything, Toya II started off again.  
‘Now, for my next question… did you come here alone?’ he asked looking exactly in her eyes. Sakura for a moment thought if she should tell the man about Tomoyo, thinking about lying to him, but she quickly decided not to. If he’s looking me straight in the eyes, he’ll know I’m not telling the truth, she thought.  
‘No, I didn’t’ she replied. ‘I came here with Tomoyo-chan…’  
‘And who is this Tomoyo-chan?’ the man asked.  
‘My friend…’ Sakura added more quiet than usual, taking a step back. For an unknown reason, this man made her uncomfortable.  
‘I see’ he simply said as if thinking about something. ‘This is my last question for you. Why did you come here?’  
‘Why…?’ Sakura echoed the question. ‘That is…’ she glanced at Shaoran, but he just shook his head. ‘To discover what really happened here’ she finally said.  
‘I do not quite understand, explain’ Toya II denied with even more annoyed expression.  
‘Ah, I mean the story about the family and the tragedy 50 years ago’ Sakura quickly explained, afraid the man will get angry.  
‘Tragedy?’ for a moment man’s expression was puzzled before coming back to usual one. ‘That was no tragedy… it was revenge’  
‘Eh? Revenge?’ now it was Sakura’s turn to be confused.  
‘My father told me that the king wanted to keep all the land to himself’ the man said. ‘And he was also willing to adopt one of the king’s children as his own’  
Sakura looked at Shaoran, who clenched his fist while listening to the man’s words.  
‘So, sometime after the Queen passed away, my father offered to help him’ the man continued. ‘But he rejected it. Of course, my father wasn’t happy with this’  
‘Does that mean…?’ Sakura gasped.  
‘No’ answered the man. ‘The mob attack and the slaughter was the villagers’ doing. My father may have been angry with him, but he wasn’t involved. One of his friends, however, was the ringleader’  
Sakura stayed silent, her eyes cautiously watching Shaoran.  
‘After all of the family was gone, my father felt, let’s say, regret’ Toya II said. ‘Because one of the children he wanted to adopt… was killed in the attack’  
‘Excuse me, but…’ Sakura interrupted. ‘Who did he want to adopt?’ the man shook his head.  
‘No idea’ he answered. ‘Not that it mattered now. But he did take his revenge after the ringleader took over the land’  
‘So it was your father who sentenced the leader and the mobs to death?’ Sakura asked. Shaoran looked at the girl with shock.  
‘Oh? Surprising that you already knew that’ Toya II looked rather… entertained. ‘Who told you?’  
‘My friend, Tomoyo-chan’ Sakura replied, looking down.  
‘Your friend, huh?’ the man said, and Sakura immediately took a step back. The way he said that was… unsettling.  
‘Yes, but she disappeared, so I have to look for her’ she added quickly, as to let the man know she’s in hurry. She passed him and moved towards the door.  
‘I think I might have a good idea where your friend might be ‘ what the man said made Sakura stop dead in her action. She turned around abruptly.  
‘You do?!’ she nearly cried. ‘You know where is Tomoyo-chan?!’  
‘Yes’ the man smiled but that wasn’t an honest smile as Shaoran noticed. ‘How about you wait here, and I go and find her for you?’ he suggested, and without waiting for response moved towards the door. ‘I will be back’ he said just before closing the door after him.  
‘Sakura!’ Shaoran addressed the girl. She looked at him, and he was angry.  
‘W-what?’ she asked, stepping back a little. ‘Shaoran, you’re scary’  
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ he asked angrily.  
‘Tell you what, Shaoran?’ Sakura was puzzled. ‘Why are you getting angry at me all of the sudden?’  
‘Why didn’t you tell me what happened after the attacks?!’ Shaoran was shouting now. He clenched a fist and hit the wall next to him, or rather tried to hit the wall but hid hand went right through it. He looked at it angrily, and suddenly let it fall to his side. ‘For 50 years… I have been trying to put my life back together, bit by bit’ he said looking down. ‘But it turned out to be really difficult… I’m still trying to find out the truth about my family’s death and the events that followed…’ he looked up, anger in his eyes. ‘And YOU never told me even once about the events after my family was killed?! You’ve been hiding things from me! All this time!’  
‘That… That’s not true!’ Sakura cried, tears falling from her eyes. ‘I might not have mentioned anything to you, but I thought you already knew about the mob attack’ she looked down, tears still falling. ‘You’ve been down here for 50 years… dead man…’  
‘How dare you!’ Shaoran shouted.  
‘You and your family were murdered!’ Sakura cried, looking him straight in the eyes. ‘I don’t care how long have you been trying to work it out. The mobs killed your family! That’s it! End of story! I just want to find Tomoyo-chan!’  
‘But NONE of it is completely true, is it?!’ Shaoran was even angrier now.  
‘W-what?’ tears stopped falling and Sakura was looking at Shaoran in shock. ‘What are you saying, Shao-‘  
‘It was YOUR idea to come out here and try to uncover what really happened!’ Shaoran pointed out. ‘And you were so careless and cowardly, that you allowed YOUR friend to be put in danger!’  
‘SHUT UP!’ Sakura cried and crouched on the floor, covering her ears with her arms. ‘Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!’ she was sitting there, crying and shouting. Taken aback by her sudden outburst, Shaoran backed away and looked at the girl in shock.  
‘Sa-kura…?’ he asked quietly, coming a little closer. ‘I… I’m sorry’ he said. The girl kept on murmuring the words that shocked Shaoran so much. ‘Sakura… please, stop’ he put his hand on her shoulder, and although it didn’t really touch her, Sakura stopped and just sat there. ‘Sakura, stand up and look at me, please’ Shaoran asked calmly.  
It took a moment, but finally, she stood up and faced the boy. He looked at her with tear-swollen eyes and his heart broke. How could I made her cry?, he scolded himself. She hasn’t done anything bad, so why?  
‘Sakura… why are you crying?’ he asked. It wasn’t a question he wanted to get the answer for, he already knew why. But still, he decided to say it.  
‘Shaoran… you were right…’ Sakura said, sniffing. ‘I was careless and cowardly, I did put my friend in danger… it was my idea of coming here and it’s also my fault…’  
‘Don’t say that…’ Shaoran whispered, but he knew Sakura could hear him. ‘I shouldn’t have said all those things… it’s not your fault, Sakura’  
‘But it is!’ the girl cried. ‘Everything I do always goes wrong! I’m so stupid!’  
Shaoran did what he thought was the best in this situation. He approached the girl and tightly hugged her. He knew this body won’t do, that this will be just a shadow of a hug, but he still embraced the crying girl.  
‘No, you’re not…’ he whispered to her ear. She sniffed and rested her head on his shoulder, or at least made it look that way. Why did I shout at her…, Shaoran thought, patting the girl’s head. It was her idea for coming here… but her friend’s disappearance wasn’t her fault… she didn’t know any of this would happen… she shouldn’t be blaming herself for something she wasn’t responsible for… And I made it worse, by blaming it on her… . Shaoran hugged the girl even tighter, his arms almost completely disappearing in her body. ‘I am really sorry…’ he whispered. ‘I didn’t mean to make you upset. It’s not your fault. I’m not blaming you for anything’  


After a while, Sakura finally straighten up, and so did Shaoran.  
‘Sakura, please, tell me one thing’ he asked. ‘Am I… am I forgiven?’  
‘Yes,’ she answered with a smile, only sparkling eyes betraying she was crying just a moment ago. He smiled back. ‘And I’m sorry about calling you-‘  
‘It’s alright’ Shaoran cut in. ‘That’s what I get for being down here for 50 years’ Sakura giggled. He then looked at her with a serious expression. ‘I don’t know what’s worse… being trapped in this empty house as a ghost… or not knowing how I died…’  
‘Shaoran… Can I ask you something?’ Sakura spoke up suddenly. Shaoran gave her a puzzled look. ‘Did that man see you?’  
‘I… no’ Shaoran replied after a moment of thought.  
‘He didn’t?’ Sakura was shocked. The boy shook his head.  
‘No, he couldn’t see me at all’ he answered.  
‘Why not?’ Sakura was confused. How come she could see Shaoran, but this man, Toya II, couldn’t.  
‘I’m not entirely sure…’ Shaoran responded. ‘He probably doesn’t like strangers…’  
‘And I’m afraid of ghosts’ Sakura pointed out.  
‘I don’t think that’s the case’ Shaoran laughed. ‘What you have to understand is not everyone can see a ghost… it is usually because of several reasons.’  
‘What reasons?’ now Sakura was curious. What made her so special that she could see Shaoran.  
‘One: they don’t have an open heart, or two: they don’t believe in spirits who have yet to move on. It must be because one of those reasons he couldn’t see me’ Shaoran explained.  
‘So… I can see you because you said I have a pure heart?’ Sakura asked uncertainly she understood the boy. Shaoran nodded and smiled.  
‘That, and also because you’re afraid of ghosts. You can’t be afraid of something in which existence you don’t believe, right?’ he stated and Sakura had to agree with him.  
‘So Toya II couldn’t see you because of those reasons?’ she confirmed.  
‘It’s only a possibility’ Shaoran replied. ‘Besides the fact that he’s a descendant of my dead family, I think he’s the only living relative out of my family now…’  
‘Ah, I see’ Sakura said. ‘So, he’s the current owner of the house?’  
‘Yes, the ownership passed down to this man when his father died’ Shaoran confirmed. Sakura nodded and looked at the door.  
‘Will he be coming back soon?’ she asked.  
‘Sakura… I don’t trust that man’ Shaoran said with a worried expression. ‘I can’t exactly tell you why, but… watch out for him, please’  
‘So what do you suggest?’ the girl asked.  
‘We still have that one key to the Lounge room, so I think we should check that’ he suggested. ‘And later, we’ll see’  
Sakura nodded and left the room. Guided by Shaoran they arrived at the bottom west corridor, where the Lounge room was situated. Sakura took out the key from her bag and was just about to unlock the room when Shaoran stopped her.  
‘Sakura, wait’ he asked. She looked at him surprised.  
‘What is it, Shaoran?’ she said.  
‘Do you trust that man?’ Shaoran asked. Sakura thought for a while.  
‘Actually… no’ she replied. ‘For a lot of reasons’  
‘Like what…?’ the boy was puzzled.  
‘Well, first off, it’s about his side of the story’ Sakura answered. ‘I actually think his father WAS involved in the tragedy… and he also calls the tragedy revenge’  
‘I… I thought he was referring to the mobs’ Shaoran was shocked. How could he not notice that? Sakura shook her head.  
‘Shaoran… when you saw your father, before he was shot to death...’ she said. ‘Who did you hear, apart from your father?’ Shaoran closed his eyes remembering the events, and suddenly it struck him.  
‘Now I remember…’ he said. ‘The other one I heard was… my uncle’s voice’ Sakura nodded in agreement.  
Just as I thought, she wondered. The person who killed Shaoran’s father, was the king’s brother, Toya. And the initials on the gun case… T.L. … Toya Li… the gun must have been taken to cover up the truth about the murder… He was involved, after all. His anger lead to the death of the family. I don’t trust Toya II, he’s a liar.  
‘Sakura, you said there were more reasons you don’t trust this man’ Shaoran spoke up, taking the girl away from her inner thoughts.  
‘Ah, yes. Secondly, it’s about his name’ Sakura confirmed.  
‘His name? What about it?’ the boy asked.  
‘He said his name was Toya II…’ the girl replied. ‘That meant his father’s name must have been Toya I’  
‘Oh, so that’s what you meant’ Shaoran nodded.  
‘Did you know about him?’ she asked looking at the boy, who went silent.  
‘I… don’t know’ he finally answered.  
‘And lastly, it’s about his father’ Sakura said. ‘If his father was the brother of your Father… wouldn’t his name be Toya Li?’  
Shaoran opened his eyes widely as if suddenly remembering something.  
‘Shaoran?’ Sakura looked at him worriedly.  
‘Yes… that’s true’ Shaoran answered slowly. ‘I… had a flashback when we were back in a bar room. It was the day we met uncle Toya for the first time’ Sakura remained silent, to let Shaoran tell what he saw.  
‘Uncle Toya came to see us after my mother died…’ he said. ‘While he was seeing us… he just looked at me. It felt like hours. And then he said: Your eyes are like amber’ Shaoran shivered at the memory of those words. ‘His words sent chills down my spine. My heart was pounding the whole time. All I could do was stand there and look at him…’ he went silent for a moment before going on. ‘Well, if your suspicion is right, I guess we should look for your friend alone’ he finished. Sakura nodded in agreement and looked at the key in her hand.  
‘So, shall we take a look inside?’ she smiled before turning the key. ‘The sooner we find her, the sooner we can get out of here’ she added and entered the room.  
‘Right…’ answered Shaoran. ‘And the sooner you’ll be gone from my life, Sakura’ he murmured sadly before following the girl.


	6. Heartache...

Shaoran approached Sakura who was already looking around the room.  
‘So this is the Lounge room’ she said. ‘Let’s look around here’ she smiled at the boy before moving on. He smiled lightly and followed the girl.  
There wasn’t much to look at in the room. In the centre, there was an enormous green carpet, on the edges of which stood two green couches and one armchair. Next to each of the couches, there was a table with a vase full of dried flowers. In both of the bottom corners, stood dried plants, under the left and the right wall they've found chests of drawers, one more standing in the top left corner of the room. There were two cabinets, a Horologium between them and a fireplace in the top-right corner. On the wall, just next to the Horologium, a picture was hanging.  
Shaoran approached the Horologium and noticing it's still working, he hummed.  
‘Hickory Dickory Dock/ The mouse went up the clock/ The clock struck one/ The mouse run down/ Hickory Dickory Dock/ Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock’ he sang quietly.  
Sakura giggled, hearing the children's nursery rhyme.  
‘I can still hear you’ she said with a smile. He just shrugged and continued to hum the song. Sakura approached one of the cabinets and opened it. ‘Shaoran, I’ve found something’ she called out.  
‘What is it?’ he asked. Sakura reached inside and took out a little dusty but overall in good shape object, which turned out to be a white teddy bear.  
‘It looks like a bear’ she said holding it up and dusting it off.  
‘A bear?’ Shaoran came closer and looked at the toy. The moment he laid his eyes on it, he felt a pain in his head.  
\---

‘Brother, have you seen my bear?’ he heard a girl’s voice.  
\--- 

‘Shaoran…?’ Sakura looked worried again. He blinked and she smiled. ‘Another memory?’ she asked. He simply nodded.  
‘I recognise this bear’ said Shaoran with a sad smile. ‘This bear was Feimei’s…’  
‘If this bear was Feimei’s… then why was it here?’ asked Sakura, looking at the bear.  
‘That’s…’ Shaoran went silent for a second then sighed. ‘Meiling used to tease Feimei all the time. Whenever she did that, she always got me involved’ he looked at the bear with sad eyes. ‘However, Meiling and I did something that pushed it too far… we stole her bear and hid it’  
Sakura looked at the bear again, then back at the boy.  
‘I didn’t understand why she thought that was funny’ he said. ‘After that… she gave up on pranking Feimei, but she didn’t give her teddy bear back’  
Sakura dusted off the toy once more, before putting it in her bag. I will hold onto this, she decided.  
‘Alright, let’s keep looking’ she clapped her hands and smiled. Just then they heard a bursting sound.  
‘Sakura, did you hear some-‘ asked Shaoran but was interrupted by the girl’s scream. He turned around to see the floor has snapped creating a hole and Sakura was nowhere to be seen. ‘Sakura?’ he ran to the hole and fell to his knees. ‘Sakura!’  
There was no answer, and Shaoran’s mind went through dozens of dark scenarios before he slapped himself to reality.  
‘Better go and find her quick’ he decided running out of the room. ‘I hope she’s okay…’

Meanwhile, Sakura was falling down the hole. All she could think of was how it felt like falling from the sky… Then, suddenly, she felt her body hit something hard and solid. She could feel a slight pain somewhere, but she wasn’t sure where…  
‘Sakura!’ she heard Shaoran calling her, worry in his voice. Did he fell down too? But he’s a ghost so nothing should happen to him, right? But wait, can a ghost even fall? ‘Sakura!’ there was this voice again. ‘Sakura, open your eyes!’  
She whined and slowly opened her eyes. Shaoran was kneeling over her, a worried expression on his face.  
‘Sakura, can you hear me?’ he asked.  
‘Yes… Shaoran…’ she answered slowly and could see his shoulders loosening up.  
‘Are you okay?’ he asked. Well, that was a stupid question, he scolded himself mentally. She just fell down the floor. Of course she’s not okay.  
‘I think so’ the girl replied, carefully standing up. Shaoran hated himself for being a ghost right now. She stood up and dusted off her clothes. ‘No broken bones as far as I can tell’  
‘Thank God’ Shaoran let out a sigh and this time didn’t even think whether it was unfaithful of him to feel glad.  
‘I had one long fall, that’s for sure’ she laughed. ‘Well, that’s me for being clumsy’  
‘It’s not funny!’ Shaoran cried, grabbing (or at least attempting) Sakura by the arms. ‘You could have died from that fall!’  
‘Shaoran, don’t worry, I’m fine’ Sakura blushed and took a step back.  
‘But what if you weren’t? What if something happened to you?’ Shaoran took a step forward, Sakura stepped back and hit a wall with her back. ‘I would have never forgiven myself if you got hurt’  
‘Shaoran…’ Sakura blushed even more and turned her head away. ‘You’re too close…’ she whispered. Shaoran blinked and then jumped away, his face all red.  
‘I’m sorry’ he said. ‘But I really meant it, Sakura’ he added while still looking away. ‘I care about you’ he added more quietly.  
‘Thank you’ Sakura replied quietly, then she looked around. ‘Where are we?’  
It was dark, almost pitch black. She could see only as far as her stretched-out hand, the rest was either blurred or unseen. She noticed, however, stone floor and walls.  
‘Well, judging from where you fell…’ wondered Shaoran. ‘We must be in the passage underneath the house’  
‘Oh… then let’s keep going’ decided Sakura. ‘If there is a passage, there must be an exit, right?’ she added with a smile.  
They moved down the corridor at a rather slow pace. Sakura didn’t know if Shaoran could see more than she did but it was safer to walk slowly. After some time, Sakura noticed the wooden door on the left side of the corridor. She approached them and carefully looked inside the room. It was a simple storage with some wooden crates, barrels and dust. Sakura put down her bag on the floor and looked through the things inside. She took out the white bear and smiled.  
‘At least the bear is safe’ she said looking at Shaoran.  
‘That’s good’ the boy nodded. ‘But the most important is that you’re safe’  
Sakura put the bear on the bag and looked at Shaoran. It was dark, but she still could make up the sad expression he had.  
‘Shaoran, what’s wrong?’ she asked concerned. Shaoran shook his head.  
‘Meiling and I did a terrible thing to her, Sakura’ he said and shook his head again. ‘Meiling always got me involved in pranking Feimei. It was only funny the first time in. But then…’ his expression darkened. ‘We went as far as hiding the bear and not returning it’ he closed his eyes. ‘That was one regret I couldn’t take back…’  
‘Shaoran…’ Sakura whispered looking at the boy. It hurt her to see him so sad but she had no idea what to do to make him smile again. So they just stood in silence in the middle of the storage.  
‘B i g B r o t h e r’ they suddenly heard a female voice. Sakura jumped up and instinctively hid behind Shaoran.  
‘What... what was that?’ she asked, her whole body trembling in fear. Shaoran simply stood there, when, suddenly, there came a blinding light and they saw a figure standing in front of them. It was a girl, just a little older than Shaoran, her long brown hair falling down, beautifully composing with blue Chinese dress she was wearing.  
‘Feimei…?’ whispered Shaoran coming closer to the phantom. The girl came closer too.  
‘B i g B r o t h e r’ she repeated, staring at the boy. Shaoran looked at his older sister and went sad.  
‘Feimei…’ he said. ‘I am so sorry for hiding your bear. I didn’t mean to. Please, forgive me, Feimei’ he looked back at Sakura and held up a hand. ‘Sakura, give me the bear’ he asked.  
‘But, you’re a ghost, Shaoran’ reminded him Sakura.  
‘It’s alright, Sakura’ he reassured her with a smile. ‘Just give it to me’  
Sakura slowly held up the bear, and Shaoran somehow managed to take it in his hands and turned back to his sister.  
‘Here you go’ he said putting the bear in the phantom girl’s hands. ‘I hope you can forgive me… my sweet sister’  
The phantom girl looked at the bear, and smiled, hugging it tight.  
‘T h a n k y o u’ she said. ‘I l o v e y o u , B i g b r o t h e r’  
The blinding light appeared again and Feimei disappeared from their sight.  
‘I love you too, Feimei’ whispered Shaoran, and Sakura dried a tear falling down her cheek. They stood in silence when Sakura finally approached the boy.  
‘Shaoran…’ she said quietly. ‘If you don’t mind me asking… what actually happened to Feimei?’  
‘The same thing that happened to Meiling’ he answered looking away. ‘That memory was as horrible as a dream that had no escape’ Sakura nodded and he turned around to face her. ‘This is the truth about what happened. When the mobs came in their thousands outside our house, everyone panicked. Meiling, Feimei and I were scared about what was happening. Our Father protected us as much as he could but… things turned bad very quickly. My Father and I got separated from my sisters during the chaos. Father told me to go and find them and to stay hidden but… I was too late’ he looked up, his his eyes hidden beneat his bangs but tears still visibly falling down his cheeks. ‘I found them on the floor with pools of blood surrounding them. Meiling and Feimei were dying right in front of my eyes. My heart was racing and there was a storm of emotions going through me. Fear, sadness, shock, denial… it brought me to the brink of tears’ he went silent for a few moments calming down so he can continue the story. ‘I even remember that I held Feimei’s body close to me’ he went on with voice creaking and shaking from tears. ‘For a brief moment, I heard her speak “Big brother”… she took her last breath and died in my arms… I tried waking her up again, I tried so many times’ once again, the cascade of tears was finding its way down. 

\---

‘Feimei?’ Shaoran looked in shock at the lifeless body of his older sister. ‘No, please no. Stay with me, please! Don’t die on me, Feimei!’

\---

‘It was no use…’ he continued the story, Sakura now crying too. ‘Meiling and Feimei were gone… forever. Losing my sisters was the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever experienced. It was even more painful than losing my mother…’ Shaoran went silent again. Sakura approached him and pulled him into a tight hug. She could care less if he could feel her or not. That was what he needed and she was here for him. After a few minutes, Shaoran finally calmed down and dried the last of his tears.  
‘After the loss of my dear sisters, I was terrified the whole time’ he went on. ‘The mobs were only responsible for the deaths of Meiling and Feimei, Father and I were not slaughtered like my sisters. I saw my father die right in front of me but… I can’t remember… how I died…’  
‘Shaoran…’ Sakura whispered. ‘I’m really sorry. I didn’t even begin to think that the mobs would have gone so far as to take away all that was precious to you. It’s even more horrible than I could have possibly imagined’  
‘That’s why I’m helping you find and save your friend’ Shaoran explained. ‘You said she was like a sister to you. And because what happened to me took place when I tried to save them. I just don’t want you to go through what I went through… 50 years ago…’  
Sakura first looked at him with shock but then smiled.  
‘You’re right, Shaoran’ she agreed. ‘Let’s go! We will save Tomoyo-chan’  
‘Yes!’ said the boy with the smile. ‘We will, I know we will’  
They left the storage room and followed the corridor further on. After some more walking, they encountered another wooden door, leading to some other room. After a quick nod, Sakura pushed the door open and entered the room. While her eyes were getting used to the dark surrounding, Shaoran tensed and pointed at something at the back of the room.  
‘Sakura, is that…?’ he asked but right then the girl’s sight came back and she saw.  
‘Tomoyo-chan!’ she cried rushing to her friend’s side. The black-haired girl was leaning her back against the wall and her eyes were covered by some dark material. ‘Tomoyo-chan, wake up’ Sakura was shaking her friend, calling out her name. Meanwhile, Shaoran checked the unconscious girl, whether she had any injuries.  
‘She doesn’t appear to be injured, Sakura’ he said, as to calm down the terrified girl. Sakura nodded and took off the blindfold from Tomoyo’s eyes. Just then Tomoyo whined and stirred.  
‘Sakura-chan…?’ she asked opening her eyes. Sakura cried and hugged her friend, sobbing.  
‘Tomoyo-chan! I was so scared! You disappeared like that and I... I…’ she cried, hugging Tomoyo tightly.  
‘It’s alright, Sakura-chan’ the black-haired girl replied with a smile, patting Sakura’s head. ‘But where am I?’  
‘That’s…’ Sakura looked around the room, noticing several barrels and wooden crates. ‘It looks like some kind of storage’  
‘Oh…’ simply answered Tomoyo. Sakura let go of her friend and looked down.  
‘I’m so sorry, Tomoyo-chan. I should have gone with you’ she said sadly. ‘I will never leave you like that again’ she promised.  
‘Sakura-chan, don’t say that…’ Tomoyo replied. ‘It wasn’t your fault’  
‘But, Tomoyo-chan. It was my idea to come here’ Sakura tried to reason. ‘And you’re the only family I have left…’  
‘Aren’t you forgetting about my mother, Sakura-chan?’ Tomoyo laughed as Sakura started to apologise and excuse for her forgetfulness.  
‘Ah, but Tomoyo-chan. Can you remember what happened?’ asked Sakura suddenly. 'You went to that room, I heard your scream… but all I could find was… your camera!’ Sakura started frenetically rummaging through her bag until she took out the lost object. She handed it to Tomoyo who smiled and hang it on her neck.  
‘About what happened…’ Tomoyo wondered, remembering the events. ‘Ah, now that I think about it... I think I was attacked’  
‘Attacked?!’ Sakura cried in terror. Shaoran looked as much shocked as she was.  
‘Yes, that must have been it. Someone attacked me…’ said Tomoyo, closing her eyes to remember more.  
‘What did they look like?’ asked Sakura, shock in her eyes.  
‘Let me think…’ Tomoyo she closed her eyes again and sat still for a moment. ‘All I could tell about the attacker was that he was wearing a long scarf… he was very tall and he wore a long coat’  
‘Sakura, that was…’ exclaimed Shaoran.  
‘A tall man with a long scarf?’ Sakura looked puzzled as if she didn’t even hear Shaoran’s words. ‘Are you sure, Tomoyo-chan?’  
‘Yes, I am sure’ confirmed Tomoyo with a nod. Shaoran approached Sakura and tapped her on the shoulder.  
‘Sakura’ he said. ‘I’m getting a feeling it was Toya’  
‘Toya?’ Sakura was confused. ‘Why him?’  
‘Don’t you remember how he looked like?’ Shaoran asked. ‘He was wearing a long coat and a long scarf’  
Sakura looked surprised.  
‘He… did?’ she asked and tried to remember how the man looked like. All she could remember, however, was the colour of his hair and eyes. ‘Guess I didn’t pay attention to his clothing. But why would he attack Tomoyo-chan?’  
‘Sakura-chan…?’ Tomoyo interrupted with a puzzled look on her face.  
‘What is it, Tomoyo-chan?’ asked Sakura, while thinking about what Shaoran said.  
‘Who are you talking to?’ the question struck Sakura and stopped her train of thoughts. ‘Why are you talking to the thin air?’ the dark-haired girl repeated the question.  
‘H-huh?!’ Sakura was shocked. She looked from Tomoyo to Shaoran and back to Tomoyo. ‘Wait… you can’t see him?’ she asked.  
‘See who, Sakura-chan?’ now it was Tomoyo’s time to be puzzled. ‘There’s no one there…’  
Shaoran sighed.  
‘Listen carefully, Sakura’ he said. ‘Just listen and don’t speak. Otherwise, Tomoyo might think you have gone mad’  
Sakura wanted to oppose but obediently stayed silent.  
‘It would appear that your friend can’t see me. She doesn’t know I’m here’ explained the boy. ‘She must be in a state right now… she can’t see me because she is still trying to recover from her attack. So… try not to speak to me while Tomoyo is around’ Shaoran asked. ‘I know this will be hard and I know you want to help me and much as you want to help Tomoyo but in the meantime, try not to talk to me. Just nod or shake, yes or no. Do you understand, Sakura?’  
Sakura slowly nodded her head, still shocked by the turn of events.  
‘Thank you, Sakura’ Shaoran smiled and Sakura felt she’s blushing again. Thankfully, it was dark and Tomoyo couldn’t see it.  
‘Sakura-chan…’ Tomoyo said, approaching her friend. ‘I’m sorry. I’m not saying that I don’t believe you, it’s just… I don’t see anyone here. Only you, Sakura-chan’  
‘I am an idiot…’ whispered Sakura.  
‘No, you’re not!’ cried Tomoyo. Sakura shook her head and took a few steps back.  
‘But I am!’ she cried. ‘I got you into this mess, and I didn’t do anything to save you… we shouldn’t have come here in the first place… it’s all my fault…’ she covered her eyes with her hands. ‘Why do I always mess everything up?’  
‘Stop that, Sakura-chan!’ Tomoyo shouted. Sakura looked at her and noticed Tomoyo was frowning. She then approached Sakura once again, a frown gone from her face. ‘Sakura-chan…’ Tomoyo embraced the girl in a hug. Tense at first, Sakura quickly loosened up and returned the gesture.  
‘Please, don’t blame yourself, Sakura-chan’ Tomoyo said. ‘You didn’t know any of this would happen. I could never blame you for any of this. The most important thing is you found me and that is all that matters’  
Sakura smiled happily and hugged Tomoyo again.  
‘I’m so glad you’re okay’ she said. ‘So let’s get out of here’  
‘Yes, Sakura-chan’ Tomoyo agreed with a smile.  
All three of them left the storage room and continued down the corridor. When they approached the back wall, Tomoyo pointed at something on the wall.  
‘Isn’t that a ladder, Sakura-chan?’ she asked. The brown-haired girl followed her friend’s finger and noticed the rope ladder hanging nearby.  
‘It is’ she exclaimed happily. ‘We can get out now’  
They climbed up the ropes and went out to the evening sun. They looked around and noticed they’re in the mansion’s garden.  
‘Wow, I can’t believe it’s evening already’ Tomoyo said looking at the setting sun.  
‘It’s amazing how the time goes by so quickly…’ Sakura agreed.  
‘The evening is beautiful, as always’ Shaoran added with a smile.  
By the wall they found a set of four gravestones. On the leftmost there was a craving: Here lies Queen Xiang Li, died at the age of 34, passed away from anemia. A loving Queen, Wife and Mother.  
‘This was where the Queen was buried…’ Sakura said looking at the gravestone. Before it lied a set of fresh flowers.  
‘It’s so sad’ Tomoyo commented.  
Shaoran closed his eyes, a memory connected to the gravestone coming to his head.

\---

Shaoran, Feimei and Meiling all stood in front of the gravestone. A set of fresh flowers was lying just before it.  
‘Mummy…’ Meiling whispered, clinching to Shaoran’s clothing.  
‘Mummy, why did you have to go?’ Feimei asked holding back the tears.  
It’s not fair, thought Shaoran looking at the gravestone. Mother had so much to live for. I don’ understand. Why god is so cruel…? We need Mother, it wasn’t her time to go. He closed his eyes to hold back the tears. Why did she have to die…?  
Shaoran looked at the gravestone, tears falling from his eyes.  
‘Mother…’ he whispered. ‘I didn’t want you to go. We can’t live without you’

\---

Shaoran blinked and looked at the gravestone again.  
‘Mother…’ he whispered. Sakura moved right, to the next gravestones.  
Here lies King Yao Li, died at the age of 37, killed during the mob attacks. A caring King, Husband and Father.  
Here lies Meiling Li, died at the age of 12, killed during the mob attacks. A lively and loving Daughter and Sister.  
Here lies Feimei Li, died at the age of 25, killed during the mob attacks. A sweet and gentle Daughter and Sister.  
‘Father… Meiling… Feimei…’ Shaoran whispered looking at each gravestone. ‘I miss you. I’m sorry’  
They were just about to leave the garden, when Sakura noticed a wooden cross, on the left side of the wall. She slowly approached it and noticed a name written on it.  
‘Shaoran Li, aged 23 – Missing’ she read out. ‘I don’t think that’s a grave’ she said. ‘It’s probably a memorial… to remember Shaoran’  
‘Why as a memorial?’ Tomoyo asked. ‘I thought he was killed along with the slaughter’  
‘No… I wasn’t…’ Shaoran replied, although Tomoyo couldn’t hear the answer. Sakura looked sadly at the cross and then moved towards the door to the mansion.  
‘Wait’ she said suddenly. Tomoyo looked back at her.  
‘What’s wrong, Sakura-chan?’ she asked.  
‘I need to do something first… before we go’ she answered, going back to the garden.  
‘Okay, Sakura-chan. Take your time…’ Tomoyo smiled as she observed her friend.  
Sakura looked around the garden and noticed a bed of flowers near the bench at the bottom of the garden. She picked up a small bouquet and approached the lonely cross.  
‘Shaoran Li…’ she said, looking at the cross. ‘I could never imagine how much suffering you went through… especially when your mother died, then the slaughter turned your world upside down… but, even if you weren’t killed in the attacks, I know you’re no longer alive… Not like Mechiko… You are gone from this world’ she kneeled and put the bouquet under the cross. ‘But I just want to tell you, you didn’t die in vain. You still had so much to live for… you had a family, had your dreams, you even had a girl to love… but it was all taken away from you, even your own life. It wasn’t anyone’s fault for the attack, your family was never traitors, they were pure and innocent. They were a family of angels. So, hear me out when I say this: I hope your family will rest in peace in heaven. And you will be with them soon. Finally, after the years you’ve been stuck down here, you will finally be happy with your family. But this time, forever and always’ Sakura went silent and just waited.  
Shaoran looked at her, at that little girl, who came to this mansion to uncover the truth behind his family’s death, the girl who was afraid of ghosts, and still reached out to him and wanted to help him remember his life. And finally, the girl who now had taken Mechiko’s place in his heart. He knew now, he loved this carefree, clumsy and lively girl. Mechiko was his in the past, but now, when he got to know Sakura, he knew she was part of his life too. If it wasn’t for this girl, he would have never get that far.  
‘Thank you so much, Sakura’ he said with a smile. ‘I hope to be with them too’  
Sakura finally stood up and dusted off her knees.  
‘Okay, let’s go now’ she said to Tomoyo. The girl smiled and followed her friend.  
‘That was beautiful, Sakura-chan’ she said as they entered the mansion. The door led them to the library. They followed the corridor and approached the main door. Sakura pushed the handle, but the door didn’t budge.  
‘W-what?’ she pushed the handle more times, but the door remained locked. ‘It’s locked’  
‘How is this possible?’ asked Tomoyo, scared.  
‘Who could have locked the door?’ wondered Shaoran. Sakura was moving the handle up and down in hopes it was just stuck, and the door would open soon.  
‘Come on, open’ she begged but the door remained locked. Just then the light went off and Sakura felt something hard hit her in her head. She fell down to the floor, listening to Tomoyo’s cries for help. Her mind went blank.  
‘Sakura, wake up!’ she heard Shaoran’s voice. She slowly opened her eyes and saw him looking at her with a worried expression.  
‘Shaoran? What happened?’ she asked massaging her head, which ached. She looked around and noticed someone was missing. ‘Tomoyo-chan!’ she cried terrified. She passed Shaoran and run up the hallway. ‘Tomoyo-chan!’ she called her friend’s name over again, but to no avail. ‘Where did she go?’ she asked Shaoran.  
‘She has been kidnapped by Toya’ Shaoran slowly replied. Sakura took few steps back then fell to her knees.  
‘No.. no…’ she murmured. Shaoran approached her and put a hand on her shoulder.  
‘Don’t panic, Sakura. I know you can save her’ he said.  
‘I… I can?’ she asked, looking up at the boy.  
‘Yes,’ Shaoran nodded. ‘Even if anything does happen. I know you will save your friend’  
Sakura processed what the boy said, then slowly got up and brushed her eyes.  
‘You’re right, Shaoran’ she said. ‘I can save her. Let’s go’  
She ran off up the corridor, Shaoran smiled and quickly followed her.


	7. The Cold Truth

Sakura and Shaoran ran through the mansion following the dragging prints. They passed the big wooden gate and entered the ballroom. From there they turned left and towards the King’s office in the west wing. The big wooden crate which was standing in the corner last time they were there, was pushed aside revealing the steps down.  
‘A secret passage’ Sakura gasped, looking down the steps.  
‘So that’s why the crate was here…’ Shaoran nodded remembering the prior setting of the room.  
‘Anyway, no time to waste. Let’s go!’ the girl ordered and she ran down the stairs without waiting for Shaoran. They went down a long time, to finally reach an underground corridor.  
‘We must be in some kind of cave’ Shaoran said noticing the stone walls and the quiet dripping sound of the water. ‘Uncle Toya used to have a gold mine in one of the caves’ he remembered. ‘But his business went bankrupt after his death…’  
They quickly followed the underground path in hope of catching up to Toya II and Tomoyo. After one of the turns, Shaoran suddenly stopped. Sakura noticed it a moment later and turned around.  
‘Shaoran?’ she asked surprised by the boy’s behaviour. Shaoran’s eyes were wide open. He felt a pain in his head and a new memory appeared.

\---

Shaoran was standing before the door when he heard the gunshots.  
‘NO!’ he screamed backing away. ‘Father… no…’  
Just then the door opened and his uncle Toya went out of the room. He looked surprised to see Shaoran.  
‘Shaoran?’ he asked worriedly and tried to approach him. ‘Shaoran, what’s wrong?’  
The boy backed away few more steps.  
‘W-Why…? Why did you…?’ he simply couldn’t ask this question.  
His head was spinning, his heart was pounding. Then, before the man managed to take the next step, he turned around and ran off. He heard his uncle call his name, but he didn’t dare to stop. He ran and ran, not paying attention where to. He wanted to be as far away from this man as he could. He slowed down in the west wing when he heard his uncle’s voice once again.  
‘Shaoran! Don’t run away from me!’ he cried.  
Shaoran jumped up and started off again. He didn’t know why, but he hid in his father’ office. He backed away from the door, looking around frantically.  
‘What do I do? What do I do?’ he kept on saying, his eyes darting around the room. Just then he noticed the open secret passage. ‘Perfect, I can escape through here’ he said running down the stairs.

\---

‘Shaoran!’ he heard Sakura’s voice. He opened his eyes and looked at the girl.  
‘Sakura…’ he whispered hoarsely, his heart still pounding from the memory he just saw. ‘I remember now’  
‘What is it?’ Sakura asked.  
‘After witnessing Father’s death, I was running away… from uncle Toya’ he exclaimed. ‘Because he hurt my father I thought he was going to hurt me’  
‘Shaoran… you were that scared?’ Sakura's eyes looked at him worryingly.  
‘I was terrified, Sakura’ the boy replied. ‘When I was running my heart was going faster than my own feet’  
Sakura nodded in understanding and looked down the corridor. She looked back at Shaoran and he smiled.  
‘I’m okay, Sakura’ he ensured. ‘We have to save Tomoyo’  
They ran again, passing more turns, as they finally reached the thin bridge. And in front of that bridge was…  
‘Tomoyo-chan!’ Sakura called as she saw her friend. She was being held by Toya II but she was fine.  
‘Sakura-chan, help me’ the girl cried trying to break free.  
‘Calm down, Tomoyo-chan, it’s alright’ Sakura said observing the man. She frowned at him. ‘Let my friend go!’ she shouted so loud she could hear her own echo coming back to her at least ten times. ‘Don’t harm her! She has nothing to do with this!’  
‘I’m sorry, I’m afraid I can’t do that’ the man replied with the usual expression, although this time he seemed truly annoyed. ‘I can only let one of you go’  
‘O-only one of us?’ Sakura squeaked. ‘Why?’  
Toya II snorted at the girl’s ignorance.  
‘Surely you would have realised by now. My only reason for asking you a set of questions was to see if you were, in fact, trying to find out what really happened’ replied Toya. ‘And then…’ there was a deadly spark in his eyes. ‘I would kill you and bury you next to the family. And say you were so shocked by the truth about the family’s murder you killed yourself from depression and disbelief’  
‘What?’ Sakura took a step back, terrified.  
‘Sounds very fitting, doesn’t it, Sakura?’ Toya II asked with a smirk. Sakura looked the man in the eyes.  
‘First, let Tomoyo-chan go’ she ordered.  
‘Sakura-chan, what are you doing?’ Tomoyo cried looking at her friend.  
‘Tomoyo-chan… just trust me’ Sakura pleaded, although her face was stern and serious.  
‘Alright,’ the man agreed. ‘I will release her’ he let go of the girl’s hand and looked at her. The moment she was free, Tomoyo ran towards Sakura and hid behind her.  
‘Are you alright, Tomoyo-chan?’ the brown-haired girl asked worryingly.  
‘I think so…’ Tomoyo replied. Sakura smiled and turned to Toya, her smile turning into a frown. She took a few steps forward approaching the man.  
‘Okay, before you plan on killing me’ she said. ‘I need you to help me clear up some things’  
‘Oh?’ an amused look showed itself on Toya II’s face. ‘Alright, I’ll keep you alive for as long as you need to’ he agreed.  
‘Good’ Sakura didn’t even flinch. ‘The first thing I want to ask you is why did you attack Tomoyo-chan’  
‘She was an easy target’ the man replied with a shrug. ‘You might have told me that this Tomoyo girl was your friend but still, she was an intruder on the Li's property’  
‘So that was your only reason to attack her?’ Sakura pushed. The man laughed.  
‘Persistent, aren’t you?’ he said. ‘No, there was another. I wanted to use her as a pawn so I could get closer to you’  
‘What?’ Sakura was surprised. ‘Why would you do that?’  
‘Well, I was originally planning to capture and torture you before I kill you' Toya II revealed. ‘But your friend was weaker and easier to target. So, instead of kidnapping you, I captured your friend, making you fall into my trap. And then I would have killed both of you.’ Sakura and Tomoyo were shocked, but the man went on. ‘I took her to the storage room and put a blindfold over her eyes. During that time your friend was passed out. I have to admit…’ he said looking at Tomoyo. ‘She was so easy to attack… she’s such a weak little thing…’  
‘You’re wrong!’ Sakura shouted suddenly. ‘Tomoyo-chan is not weak!’ Toya II simply gazed at the girl getting angry. ‘I know she’s not weak. After my parents left us and Tomoyo-chan lost her father… we had to be strong for each other. We might have been scared since we lost our dearests but that doesn’t mean she’s weak! She is as strong as I am!’  
‘Sakura-chan…’ Tomoyo whispered thankfully.  
‘Sakura… you’re so strong…’ Shaoran complemented.  
‘Well… this is unexpected’ Toya II frowned. ‘Standing up for your friend like that... but it does make me wonder… why did your parents leave you in a first place, Sakura?’  
Sakura just went silent, looking down.  
‘So… do you have any more questions?’ he asked impatiently.  
‘Yes’ replied the girl, looking up. ‘Who was the ringleader?’  
Toya II sighed.  
‘Do you even listen what people are saying?’ he asked. ‘I already told you one of my father’s friends was the ringleader’  
‘But it’s not true, isn’t it?’ Sakura stated. ‘The only person who would have spread rumours about the Queen’s death was someone who was the most faithful to the Li family’  
‘Sakura?’ Tomoyo asked surprised. Just how much did her friend know about the case?  
‘Isn’t it obvious, Toya II?’ Sakura said with certainty in her voice. ‘The person who, I think, was the ringleader of the mobs was your father’ the shock on Toya II’s face was real.  
‘Just think about it’ Sakura continued. ‘Your father knew that the King couldn’t keep all of his children after the Queen died. And he was willing to adopt one of them as his own. But there was one problem’  
‘Problem?’ the man echoed.  
‘Shaoran’ Sakura spoke up the boy's name.  
‘Me?’ the said boy asked surprised.  
‘He found out about the situation and refused it’ the girl explained, her eyes fixed on the man before her. ‘After that, the King gave up and decided to try and keep them against all odds, which led your father to turn his back on the family. And I think you know what happened next’ she looked the man straight in the eyes but he remained silent. ‘You lied to me, Toya II’ Sakura exclaimed.  
‘What are you talking about?’ the man snorted.  
‘You told me your father wasn’t involved with the attacks’ the girl reminded him. ‘But I have a reason to believe none of that is true. 50 years ago, during the mob attacks, Feimei and Meiling got separated from Shaoran and the King and before Shaoran could do anything, his sisters were already slaughtered by the mobs. Terrified, Shaoran must have rushed off to his father. Meanwhile, the King and your father were in the office, having an argument. The king didn’t understand why his family was killed but your father wanted to end it all’ she took a step forward and look the man straight in the eyes. ‘So your father took out his gun and shot the King to death’  
Tomoyo covered her mouth shocked while Shaoran just stood there silently with the sad expression on his face.  
‘Well…’ Toya II spoke up after a moment of silence. ‘It seems like you do know the truth after all. So, in that case…’ the man took out the gun and pointed it at Sakura. ‘I have no other choice but to kill you now’  
‘Sakura-chan’ Tomoyo cried out, too afraid to move from where she was standing.  
That gun…!, Shaoran thought, noticing the weapon Toya II was holding. It’s the missing gun from my uncle’s case!  
‘You know…’ the man said while still pointing at Sakura. ‘I was wondering if you wanted to know why my father did all that… Why he turned his back on his family and ordered the mobs to kill them all’ he looked at Sakura and frowned. ‘Because he was betrayed!’  
‘What?’ Sakura was so confused right now she didn’t know what was going on.  
‘Before the King had children he made a deal with my father’ the man explained. ‘He signed a contract and agreed that if the Queen passes away, he would give up one of his children so that he can still rule. Otherwise, my father would take over as a King’  
‘That document in the office!’ Shaoran remembered, his eyes widening.  
‘So the King had children. Two daughters and a son’ Toya II went on. ‘But after the Queen died, he didn’t keep his end of the deal. Instead, he tried to keep all three of them under the same roof. He turned his back on his own brother!’ he cried. ‘So… my father took his revenge and ordered the mobs to kill the family, while he killed his brother and took over as the new king’  
That’s the same gun that killed Shaoran’s father!, Sakura thought, only now noticing the weapon in the attacker’s hand.  
‘Now you know…’ Toya II stated unlocking the gun. ‘May you rest in peace, Sakura Kinomoto’  
‘Sakura-chan, no!’ Tomoyo cried, her eyes filled with tears.  
The man was just about to pull the trigger when he noticed one more person standing next to Tomoyo. It was a young man with brown hair and amber eyes wearing green Chinese clothes.  
‘Who... who are you?!’ he cried out, terrified.  
‘Stop’ Shaoran pleaded, coming closer. Toya II took a few steps back, the terrified expression on his face becoming even more vivid. ‘You’re going to make father cry’  
‘What….?’ Sakura was baffled by what was happening.  
Just then Toya took another step back… and fell. He screamed as he was falling, and then they heard a flush as he disappeared under the underground water.  
‘What… what just happened here?’ Sakura asked, staring at the place the man was standing just moments ago. She slowly approached the pit and looked down. ‘He’s gone…’ she said quietly. ‘I don’t understand… why did he fall so suddenly…?’  
Then Sakura turned around and approached her friend.  
‘Tomoyo-chan?’ she asked. Tomoyo was silent, and she quickly rushed to Sakura, embracing her in the hug.  
‘That was really scary, Sakura-chan’ she whispered.  
‘It’s okay, Tomoyo-chan’ Sakura consoled her friend. ‘It’s over now’ she was patting her head while the other girl was snobbing. ‘It’s okay, I’ve got you…’  
Tomoyo was shaking in Sakura’s arms. She must have been scared by all this, thought Sakura. But it’s all over now. And I’m still alive. Tomoyo-chan and I are safe now.  
‘Tomoyo-chan…’ said Sakura after releasing Tomoyo from the embrace. ‘I think you should say hello to a good friend of mine’  
Shaoran looked at Sakura surprised but she just smiled.  
‘Close your eyes, Tomoyo-chan’ Sakura asked gently.  
‘Okay…’ the other girl reluctantly agreed.  
‘Sakura… are you sure?’ Shaoran was not so sure what the brown-haired girl was doing. The girl nodded and stepped back, letting Shaoran stand before Tomoyo.  
Shaoran slowly held up his hands and grabbed Tomoyo’s. Or more like, laid it on the dark-haired girl's small hand gently. Just then Tomoyo opened her eyes and took a few steps back, startled.  
‘Hello, Tomoyo…’ he quietly said, smiling lightly.  
‘H…Hello…’ the girl replied, gazing at the transparent boy standing right before her.  
‘This is Shaoran, Shaoran Li. The only son of the Li family’ Sakura introduced him to her friend. ‘He has helped me look for you and uncover the truth behind the tragedy’  
‘You did?’ Tomoyo looked at Shaoran amazed. ‘You helped Sakura-chan find me?’  
‘Yes, I did’ Shaoran confirmed with a nod. ‘And she helped me recover my past’  
‘Recover your past?’ the black-haired girl echoed confused. The boy nodded.  
‘Shaoran couldn’t remember anything about his life or how he died 50 years ago’ Sakura explained, stepping up. ‘He had been trapped down here since then’  
‘Oh my, it must have been hard’ Tomoyo exclaimed looking at the boy. He just remained silent. ‘What will happen when you remember everything, Shaoran?’ she asked suddenly.  
‘I… hope to reunite with my family on the other side’ Shaoran replied with a little smile.  
‘I see’ Tomoyo replied. ‘I’m so sorry about what happened to you and your family’  
‘It’s okay’ the boy answered. ‘If it wasn’t for Sakura, I probably wouldn’t have been able to remember anything. You are very lucky for having Sakura as a loving friend’  
‘And a sister’ Tomoyo added with a smile.  
‘And a sister’ Shaoran agreed, smiling back. They both laughed when Tomoyo looked past Shaoran.  
‘I wonder...’ she said. ‘What’s past the bridge?’  
They all looked at that direction. The bridge was made of wood and ropes, and was about 100 metres long.  
‘That’s a good question’ Sakura wondered.  
‘Shall we go and explore it then?’ Tomoyo suggested. Sakura shook her head.  
‘I can go alone, Tomoyo-chan’ she said. ‘You go back and look for the way to leave this place’  
‘As you wish, Sakura-chan’ Tomoyo agreed after a little hesitation. ‘I will wait for you in the mansion then’  
‘We will meet with you afterwards then’ Sakura promised.  
‘Be careful, Tomoyo’ Shaoran addressed the girl. ‘It may still be dangerous back there’  
‘Don’t worry’ Tomoyo smiled. ‘I will’ she turned around to leave. ‘Take care of Sakura-chan for me, please’ she added before disappearing behind the turn.  
Sakura and Shaoran started walking down the bridge when suddenly, Sakura stopped in the middle.  
‘Sakura… are you okay?’ Shaoran asked with concern. The girl moved towards the edge and looked down.  
‘No… not really’ she replied. ‘Shaoran, why did Toya II fall?’ she asked her eyes fixed on the darkness below. ‘He might have been a bad man but… he didn’t deserve to die like that’ she turned around to face the boy. ‘Was it because he saw you?’  
‘I think so…’ Shaoran responded after a while. ‘I didn’t want Toya to shoot you’  
‘You saved us, Shaoran’ Sakura smiled thankfully and looked down the pit again. ‘But Toya III… he fell…’  
‘Sakura’ Shaoran spoke up. ‘I remember now, it’s coming back to me’  
‘What, Shaoran?’ the girl asked, turning her attention towards her ghost-friend.  
‘Toya II’s fall reminded me how I died…’ the boy explained. ‘I was running as fast as I could through the caves. I reached this bridge and the pit, where I stopped to rest. My heart was pounding and I was breathless. My chest begun to feel tight. And then…’ he looked at Sakura. ‘I heard Uncle Toya’s voice.’

\---

‘Shaoran! Don’t run! It’s too dangerous! If you run, your heart-‘ the man cried out in desperation.

\---

‘But it was too late…’ Shaoran continued. ‘I felt my chest tighten even further, it was so painful. That was when I lost control of my own body. And then… I fell down that pit…’  
Sakura was staring at Shaoran in shock. So he died… by falling…?  
‘And you know what was the last thing I saw before I died?’ he asked with a sad smile. ‘It was an outstretched hand… trying to save me… it was my Uncle Toya’s… but he was too late… he couldn’t save me…’  
‘…No…’ Sakura covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.  
They stood there in silence for few more minutes until Shaoran finally decided it was time to see, what was behind that bridge. Together, they crossed the pit and get out of the cave.


	8. Epilogue. My Friend... My Love...

Sakura emerged from the cave, followed by Shaoran.  
‘Woah!’ Sakura she gasped mesmerized.  
They were standing on a grassy cliff with few trees and bushes. It was already the night time and the moon was shining brightly just in front of them.  
‘The moon looks amazing! I can’t believe it’s night already!’ she exclaimed, staring at the sky.  
‘Yes,’ Shaoran agreed. ‘It’s a peaceful night too… The blue moon always looks beautiful at nights like this… it’s a view that takes your breath away…’  
‘Blue moon…’ Sakura echoed gazing at the shining circle in the sky. ‘It’s beautiful’ she smiled broadly as she observed this enchanting scenery. Shaoran was silent for a couple of minutes before finally speaking.  
‘Sakura…’ he called out the girl’s name. She turned his head to look at him and he was enchanted by how beautiful she looked in the blue moonlight.  
‘What is it, Shaoran?’ she asked, still smiling.  
‘We… we did good, didn’t we?’ the boy asked. The girl laughed a little. Oh, how he loved this laugh.  
‘Of course, we did’ she giggled. ‘Your memories are back, you saved us from this man… We both achieved what we were aiming for!’  
‘Yeah…’ Shaoran agreed, his eyes looking away and a sad smile appearing on his face. ‘I don’t want to go’ he whispered so quietly Sakura couldn’t make up the words he said.  
‘Shaoran?’ she asked worryingly. ‘What’s wrong?’ her eyes were full of confusion and worry.  
‘Sakura…’ the boy closed his eyes for a second before looking straight at Sakura. ‘Thank you so much. I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me’  
‘Shao…ran…?’ Sakura’s eyes widened. Why did he say that?, she thought. Why does it sound like he’s saying goodbye? ‘What are you trying to say?’ she asked, although she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer. Shaoran smiled warmly, and this time she didn’t blush and look away.  
‘Shh,’ he put his finger on her lips. ‘I remember everything now. Now I can finally move on. I will be with my family once more… The family I loved and cherished 50 years ago…’  
‘Shaoran…’ tears appeared in Sakura’s eyes. She knew that… she knew once Shaoran regains all his lost memories he will be allowed to move on and disappear. She wanted him to remember his life… but, at the same time, she didn’t want him to remember. Because that would mean he would leave forever. But it was already too late. Shaoran regained his memory… and that meant…  
‘Sakura’ the boy said with the most beautiful smile she saw him ever do. ‘Can you do something for me?’  
‘Of course’ she replied in a wobbly voice, trying her best not to cry.  
‘Give my old sketchbook to Mechiko’ he asked. ‘Tell her I wanted her to have it’  
‘Are you sure, Shaoran?’ Sakura questioned. ‘You said it was precious to you’  
‘Yes, that’s true’ Shaoran agreed. ‘That is why I want Mechiko to keep it. She will have a part of me that will always be there for her. She will always remember me’  
‘Of course, I will give it to her’ Sakura replied, tears starting to flow. ‘That’s a promise, Shaoran’  
‘Thank you’ the boy smiled and held up his hand. ‘Touch my hand, Sakura’ he asked.  
Sakura reluctantly held up her hand and touched Shaoran’s. He became brighter and smiled.  
‘Thank you’ he said. And before she could react, he grabbed her hand, pulled her closer and kissed her. She closed her eyes and returned the kiss. ‘I l o v e y o u, S a k u r a’ he whispered into her ear and smiled. ‘G o o d b y e’  
Sakura opened her eyes but he was already gone. She looked at the moon, her eyes full of tears.  
‘Goodbye…’ she whispered. ‘I love you too, Shaoran’

\---

‘I can’t move on because my memories are missing’ Shaoran said just after she met him. ‘My whole life is missing. All of it, gone’

\---

‘Another reason why I was stuck down here because I was waiting…’ he said when they found the family portrait. ‘Waiting for someone like you’

\---

‘It’s okay, I’m here for you’ she said to him in the library after reading out his Father’s letter. He looked so lost then that she just had to hug him.

\---

‘Even if anything does happen, I know you will save your friend’ Shaoran said to her right after Tomoyo disappeared once again.

\---

She was looking at the blue moon, tears falling to the grass. Shaoran has moved on…, she thought. He has left and now is at peace… I know I will never see him again. He knew what was like to lose someone close to you. Just thinking about how his family was taken from him… and how he suddenly died… my heart aches. She gripped her shirt right where her heart was. Although we only met by accident and we were 50 years apart from each other…  
‘He was my friend…’ she whispered, then shook her head. ‘No… My Love. One that meant a lot to me’ she gazed at the night sky and the moon under which they kissed for the first and the last time. ‘I will never forget you, Shaoran’ she promised to the blue moon. ‘Never. I will tell everyone about you, and what your family died for. And…’ she smiled a little despite the tears falling. ‘I will miss you, Shaoran, My love…’  


She stood there, in silence, just watching the moon. She didn’t know how much time has passed and she didn’t care. Shaoran was gone… forever…  
‘Sakura-chan!’ she heard Tomoyo’s voice from behind her. She turned around to see her friend emerging from the cave. ‘I managed to find the passage back to the front of the house’ she said with a smile. Then she looked at Sakura and noticed the tears. ‘Sakura-chan…? Sakura-chan, why are you crying?’  
‘Shaoran is gone…’ the brown-haired girl replied, her voice breaking somewhere in the middle.  
‘Gone?’ Tomoyo tilted her head in confusion.  
‘He left this world’ Sakura explained through the tears. ‘He is now resting in peace… with his family’  
‘Oh, Sakura-chan…’ Tomoyo approached her friend and embraced her. She stood there, patting the brown-haired girl’s head while she was crying. It took minutes for Sakura to finally calm down. Tomoyo moved next to her and looked at the night sky. ‘Tonight looks beautiful…’ she said quietly.  
‘Yeah…’ Sakura nodded. ‘You know, Tomoyo-chan? When Shaoran and I found out the truth about the attacks, I never would have thought that the uncle would kill his own brother and the family. All just for the land and money… and yet, he tried to save Shaoran’s life, before he fell to his death’  
‘Yeah’ Tomoyo smiled at her friend. ‘At least we solved the mysteries. The one about the family’s murder. About where Shaoran Li, the only son really was…’ she looked back at the cave. ‘He was right here. All this time…’  
‘Yes, he was’ Sakura nodded. ‘And he is finally with his family’ she looked back at the sky. ‘He was a really good friend. Thank you, Shaoran Li, my dear friend…’ she said. ‘And my Love’ she added quietly.

Back in the village, Gran was just preparing the dinner, when she heard a knock.  
‘Oh? I wonder who that could be…’ she said to herself walking towards the door. She opened them and noticed a certain brown-haired girl standing in a doorway. ‘Ah, hello there, Sakura’ she greeted the girl. ‘How can I help you?’  
‘Well, Gran…’ said Sakura, stepping inside the house. She reached into her bag and took out an old sketchbook. ‘This belongs to the late Shaoran Li, the only son… he said you knew him all those years ago… he said you should have this, his old sketchbook’  
The old woman looked at the sketchbook held by Sakura and covered her mouth.  
‘He wanted me… to have this…?’ she asked taking the sketchbook in her wrinkled hands.  
‘Yes,’ Sakura smiled. ‘His spirit was trapped inside that house because he fell…’  
‘He… fell?’ the woman asked in shock.  
‘Yes,’ the girl nodded. ‘He wasn’t slaughtered with his family. His sisters were killed by the mobs but his uncle was the one who killed his Father. Then, Shaoran ran for his life but… he lost the footing and fell down the pit…’ Gran took few steps back, shocked by Sakura’s words and the girl continued. ‘Because he didn’t remember, he was a ghost who remained at the house. But I helped him to recover his memory and he told me to give this to you. So he could never be forgotten’  
‘…You are really a good girl’ Gran smiled through the tears. ‘I was afraid when he disappeared but I’m glad now. I’m so happy you cleared the whole story, Sakura. Thank you so much’

After that, both Sakura and Mechiko decided to give Shaoran a proper memorial. It might not be a proper grave but it was a reminder of who Shaoran Li was… They ordered a gravestone and put in in the village’s graveyard. Sakura wanted to have it in the mansion, beside his family, but Gran was old and couldn’t make a journey through the forest to visit the grave so they decided to put it right there. It was a simple gravestone, with only a few words carved on it: "Rest in peace, Shaoran Li, died aged 23. Suffered a heart attack and fell down the pit. A caring and kind-hearted Son, Brother and a Friend". Sakura really wanted to add “Love” to the carving, but Gran said it’s enough like that. They both regularly visited the gravestone, bringing new flowers and taking care of the grave.  
‘Gran?’ Sakura asked during one of the visits. ‘Can you teach me how to draw and paint?’  
‘Of course, I can, dear’ the old woman replied with a smile. ‘Now, I will give you two a moment alone. I will wait for you at my house, with a fresh pot of tea and cookies’ she said before turning around and leaving.  
Sakura stood there, watching the grave. A single rose was put there by the girl.  
‘Thank you, Shaoran’ she said to the gravestone. ‘You will always be my friend and my love, wherever you are. I decided to learn how to draw and paint, just like you. I’m spending much more time with Mechiko now. She still remembers you and she said you should wait for her’ a single tear fell down her cheek. ‘I’m so happy you are with your family now. So… watch over me, okay… Shaoran?’  
‘F o r e v e r a n d a l w a y s, S a k u r a’ she could swear she heard the boy’s voice from around her. She smiled gently and left the graveyard.  


Years passed, and after some time, at the age of 89, Gran Mechiko passed away. She was buried in the graveyard next to Shaoran’s memorial. Sakura regularly visited both graves, talking to Gran and Shaoran. She also often went to the old mansion and to the cliff, watching the blue moon from there. It was 5 years after Gran’s death, and Sakura was 21 by then. As usual, she took her bag, filled with drawing utensils, sketchbooks, and one special sketchbook.

\---

‘You want me to have it?’ asked Sakura surprised, holding the sketchbook in her hands. Gran smiled warmly and nodded.  
‘He would want you to have it’ she said.  
‘But… he asked me to give it to you, Gran’ Sakura reminded. The old woman chuckled.  
‘That is because he thought I would be hurt if he gave it to you rather than me’ she explained and looked up. ‘You know, Sakura, I can see him more often now. We talk about the past, the present, and the future’ she looked at the girl standing next to the bed she was lying on. ‘I know he loves you, Sakura. I was his first love but you took my place in his heart’  
‘I…’ Sakura tried to excuse herself but the old woman waved her hand and laughed.  
‘I’m not mad at you, dear’ she calmed her down. ‘I had my time with him 53 years ago so I can’t blame him for finding someone else dear to him. But I’m glad it’s you, Sakura’  
‘Gran…’ Sakura whispered and the woman pointed at the sketchbook in girl’s hands.  
‘That is why I’m giving this to you, Sakura’ she said. ‘Because now you will have a part of him with you’  
‘Thank you, Gran’ Sakura smiled hugging the sketchbook. ‘I will treasure it’

\---

Sakura smiled as she walked past the bridge and emerged from the cave. The moon shone beautiful, as always. She was just about to move to her usual place when she noticed a figure standing by the cliff. As she was coming closer, she started to notice brown hair and green clothes the person was wearing.  
‘I was waiting for you’ the person said in a familiar voice, turning around. ‘Sakura’  
‘Shaoran…’ Sakura whispered covering her mouth, tears starting to fall from her eyes. She let go of her bag and ran to the man, embracing him in a tight hug. ‘Shaoran, you’re back’  
‘I am, love’ he said, hugging her and patting her head.  
‘But… how?’ she asked looking at him. ‘You died… so how?’  
‘I was praying, Sakura’ he explained. ‘I was praying so that I could be with you. I was happy with my family and when finally Mechiko joined me. But I missed you, Sakura. I looked at you from heaven, and I wanted so badly to be by your side. So I prayed to God to let me live one more time’ he smiled and took her head in his hands. ‘So here I am’ he said and kissed her. Sakura eagerly returned the kiss, tears sparkling in her eyes.  
‘Welcome back’ she whispered as she looked into those amber eyes in the blue moonlight.


End file.
